Families across Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and East Hants are set to benefit from the addition of up to 286 new child care spaces as part of the Nova Scotia government’s commitment to improve access to affordable child care. Announced on February 6, the funding of $7.6 million will be distributed to six child-care operators for the expansion of their facilities, highlighting the province’s efforts to support families and boost the local economy.
Brendan Maguire, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, emphasized the significance of these investments, stating, “These investments are opening more access to affordable child care to help families in our fastest growing regions. By investing in child care, we invest in families to participate in the workforce and grow our economy.” Such initiatives aim not only to alleviate the cost of child care for parents but also to facilitate their participation in the ever-growing labor market.
The new spaces provided by the funding are expected to be available by March 2026. The child-care operators scheduled to contribute to this expansion are as follows:
- ForestKids Early Learning Organization, Hammonds Plains: up to 12 new spaces
- Silver Crescent Academy, Bedford: up to 40 new spaces
- Tots Early Learning Society: up to 76 new spaces (24 in Enfield and 52 in Lantz)
- Cunard Street Children’s Centre, Halifax: up to 54 new spaces
- By the Sea Early Learning, Upper Tantallon: up to 64 new spaces
- North End Community Day Care, Halifax: up to 40 new spaces
These developments are part of broader efforts by the provincial government to create more child care spaces across Nova Scotia. Since 2021, the province has seen the establishment of over 6,500 new child-care spaces. These initiatives have largely benefited from funds allocated under the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
On the federal level, Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, praised the expansion, noting, “These new spots will be a game-changer for families in the Halifax regional and East Hants municipalities, saving them thousands of dollars on child care. We’ll continue working together with Nova Scotia to create more child-care spots, reduce wait lists and ensuring every family has access to high-quality and affordable child care no matter where they live.”
Along with this, another initiative announced will create up to 335 new daycare spaces by March 2026, funded by nearly $9 million allocated by the Nova Scotia government. These spaces will be rolled out among various operators including ForestKids, Cunard Street Children’s Centre, and others. Pam AuCoin, the Education Department’s executive director of early learning and child care, mentioned some spaces might be available sooner, stating, “Most of the ones announced have a completion date by March of 2026.”
The Glace Bay Youth and Family Centre in Cape Breton is among those making strides to expand capacity, pledging to create 49 new spaces. This additional funding is sourced from the broader $605-million agreement established with the federal government, intended to create almost 9,500 new spaces by March 2026.
One of the dual goals of this initiative is to significantly lower child-care fees, allowing families to benefit from affordable care. So far, AuCoin noted progress has been made with approximately “a 50 percent reduction” achieved, with hopes to reach the target of $10 per day for child care services by the designated deadline.
Minister AuCoin expressed confidence about meeting the child-care expansion obligations set by the federal agreement, saying, “March 31 of 2026 is not far away, but we have many initiatives underway across the province through our space creation initiatives.”
This drive to increase child care access is reflective of the growing demand for such services, fueled by population increases and shifting family dynamics. Families are often grappling with the challenges of balancing work and child care availability, making these initiatives critically important for supporting Nova Scotia’s workforce.
During this period of expansion, Gail Oakley, Executive Director of Cunard Street Children’s Centre, shared her enthusiasm about the funding initiative, expressing, “The Cunard Street Children’s Centre is very excited to be part of the Province of Nova Scotia’s major infrastructure program.” She added, “These additional spaces will support our community’s economic growth and development by providing families with greater child-care availability, helping them to pursue educational and employment opportunities.”
The situation surrounding child care accessibility is integral to Nova Scotia's economic growth strategy. By taking proactive steps to provide more spaces and reducing costs, the provincial government is laying the groundwork for families to thrive, enabling them to contribute significantly to the province's diverse economy.