N.W.T. government announces new funding to create child-care spaces in communities

A new funding program — with up to $500,000 available — has been created for Northwest Territories non-profit organizations and Indigenous governments to use for child-care centres.

The program will provide funds to help with infrastructure repairs and retrofits to support the creation of new child-care centres in communities, according to an N.W.T. government news release sent Tuesday.

A significant barrier to the development of licensed centres and child-care programs is a lack of infrastructure funding, it states in the release.

That's because many available buildings do not meet requirements for providing child care and renovations are often very expensive.

"The government of the Northwest Territories committed in its mandate to increasing the availability and affordability of child care in communities," said R.J. Simpson, N.W.T.'s minister of education, in a statement.

Simpson said an increase to the number of child-care spaces in communities through infrastructure upgrades will help support families and create jobs.

Interested organizations can submit proposals for funding through regional early childhood consultants by Aug. 31 to be eligible for up to $500,000 in funding for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Funding priority will be given to communities with limited or non-existent early learning and child-care programming.