PERTH COUNTY – Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington, announced earlier this month that the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) was provided a scope change and approval to tender the childcare additions at Listowel Eastdale Public School and Milverton Public School.
For Eastdale, this is supported by an additional $2.1 million from the province, which brings the total funding to over $6.4 million. When completed, this centre will provide three additional childcare rooms, 98 new pupil spaces, and 49 licensed childcare spaces.
“This is an important announcement for Listowel, surrounding communities, and the many young families that reside here,” Rae said on Jan. 24. “It is investments like these that make our rural communities both more affordable and attractive for families.”
For Milverton, this is supported by an additional $1.7 million from the province, which brings the total funding to over $2.9 million. When completed, this centre will provide two additional childcare rooms and 39 new childcare spaces.
“This is great news for families in Milverton and Perth East,” Rae said on Jan. 16.
“Affordable and accessible child care is a necessity no matter where you live in Ontario. It is important that we continue to make these investments in our rural communities.”
This investment is part of Ontario’s commitment to providing $14 billion to support school construction, repair, and renewal over 10 years. Since 2018, the government has approved nearly 200 school construction projects and the development of more than 300 childcare and education building-related projects, of which more than 100 are actively under construction.
“Our government is investing $14 billion over 10 years to build new schools, improve existing facilities and create childcare spaces to ensure young people can reach their full potential,” said Stephen Lecce, minister of education. “By building the new state-of-the-art childcare centre at Milverton Public School, as well as investing in tutoring and mental health supports for the year ahead, we are getting students back on track now and well into the future.
“While we make progress building this childcare centre at Milverton Public School to support hard-working parents, we remain committed to keeping students in more normal classrooms with extra-curriculars, sports, and clubs.”
“This project is an excellent example of a multi-sector partnership that enables us all to support the families that we serve,” said Dr. Lisa Walsh, AMDSB director of education. “We are grateful for the additional support from the Province of Ontario so that families in Milverton have an additional option for childcare.”
Walsh added of the Listowel expansion, “We are thrilled to engage in this multi-sector partnership that enables us all to support the families that we serve. This additional funding from the Province of Ontario will support our project to reduce space pressures at Listowel Eastdale and improve access to child care for Listowel families and we are grateful for this support.”
Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested over $2 billion in capital projects in education, including 100 new schools, 88 additions and renovations to existing facilities, and 6,410 new licensed childcare spaces.
For the 2022-23 school year, the province is providing school boards with $1.4 billion in funding to revitalize and renew aged buildings and components.
