Province names centres to provide $25-a-day daycare

The Alberta government has announced the names of the 22 day care centres getting funding to pilot the government's $25-a-day daycare project.

When the $10-million project was announced in November, the government asked centres to apply to receive up to $500,000 in grants in the first year, with the possibility of receiving two more years of funding.

• $25-a-day child care coming to 18 Alberta daycare centres

Premier Rachel Notley said 13 of the 22 daycares will provide services to parents who don't work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday to Friday.

"I want to emphasize this is the only the beginning," Notley saidat an announcement in Edmonton Thursday.

She said results of the pilot project will be used to expand the program across the province. Nearly 80 organizations submitted proposals.

The NDP promised during the 2015 election to move towards $25-a-day daycare. However, the current financial situation means the government is rolling this out on a limited basis.

The 22 centres approved for the pilot project are:

• Willow Lake Tiny Tots-Caring for Kids, Anzac, 30 spaces
• Banff Child Care Centre, 40 spaces
• Bonnyville and District Day Care Centre, 68 spaces
• CFS Parent/Child Learning Centre (Louise Dean), Calgary, 60 spaces
• EvenStart Early Childhood Development Centre, Calgary,30 spaces
• Hillhurst-Sunnyside Daycare Centre, Calgary, 82 spaces
• Little Sundance Child Care Centre, Calgary,60 spaces
• Thornhill Child Care Centre, Calgary,88 spaces
• Kids Campus Daycare Society, Camrose, 75 spaces
• ABC Headstart (program name to be determined), Edmonton,36 spaces
• Africa Centre Childcare and Early Childhood Program, Edmonton,40 spaces
• Bissell Centre Child Care Centre, Edmonton, 71spaces
• Intercultural Child and Family Centre, Edmonton, 63 spaces
• Oliver Centre Learning Programs for Children and Family Society, Edmonton,40 spaces
• A Child's World Day Care Centre, Fairview, 61 spaces
• Grand Prairie Children Demonstration Preschool, 28 spaces
• Lac La Biche Little Sprouts Child Care Society, 81 spaces
• Opokaa'sinChild Care Program, Lethbridge. 53 spaces
• Sugar Plum Tree Daycare, Peace River, 96 spaces
• Provost Daycare Society,34 spaces
• Westlock Community Daycare, 77 spaces