City looks to make room for child-care spaces
The city is looking to make space available for early learning and child-care services.
The executive committee Wednesday made two recommendations to council — to develop guidelines for child care in city-owned buildings and to look at whether existing city buildings might be appropriate for child care.
“We may have surplus buildings that can be leased out, ex-schools that we acquired that we don’t have a use for and that don’t have a market for whatever reason, so we could look at leasing opportunities,” said Mayor Don Iveson.
“Also, within new buildings that we build like rec centres, libraries, is there value in including early learning and care? When we renovate an existing building, should we be looking at that part of the program?”
A report to the executive committee said Edmonton does not have an adequate supply of affordable and high-quality early learning and care spaces to meet the needs of its diverse, young and growing population.
Last spring, the provincial government announced details for a pilot program where 22 centres across the province will provide nearly 1,300 child-care spaces for $25 a day.
Ward 2 Coun. Bev Esslinger said although early learning is the province’s mandate, the city can look at playing a co-ordinating role.
“How do we make sure we are using all the space where we need it the most?” Esslinger said. “It’s not just saying, ‘Oh we have extra space here,’ because we could have three providers running to fill the need. Could the city or should the city play a co-ordinating role, that’s what we are struggling with.”
Iveson said affordable and quality child care is one of the core recommendations in Edmonton’s effort to end poverty.
But it is not simply about looking for space. Esslinger said the city also wants to make sure the spaces offered are safe.
“We don’t want a building that’s falling down, that doesn’t have green space,” she said. “We want appropriate buildings for childcare centres or early learning and care centres.”