Little People’s will miss out on new funding from province

Although Executive Susan Elliot Director for Little People’s Daycare is pleased about the announcement she says it will mean no extra funding for them.

In fact it could mean less money from the province.

The new salary enhancement spending will replace the salary enhancement, equipment, infrastructure and infant-care grants that the centre and other long established centres have been receiving for years from the province.

The new salary enhancement will include private licensed full-day centres for the first time as well as non-profit centres.

They have worked out a formula of $3 a day per occupied space per child and $8 a day per space for infants.

The government will be keeping a close eye to ensure that 75% of the money does go towards wages and benefits and will be doing a reassessment every six months to make sure the child count did not go down.

“You’re going to be penalized whenever your numbers go down,” said Elliot, “it would be a miracle to keep those numbers.”

She explains if they can keep their spaces filled the funding from the province will be the same but explains, “with more and more young families moving away to find work it’s hard.”

The daycare has been trying to ‘stay ahead of the curve’ by focusing on a broader age range to include toddler’s and school-age children with their addition of the sectioned off toddler room and after school program.

Elliot admits it is a constant struggle to keep their spaces filled.

“The only other choice is to change our fees,” she said adding “the last place I would want to turn to for supplementing wages is the parents.”

Despite the concerns with the new funding arrangement Elliot says she is still thrilled for her colleagues across the province who will receive higher wages and improved benefits.