Daycare operators get more time to sign onto federal-provincial agreement

The Nova Scotia government is offering daycare centres money to offset rising costs and giving private operators at least a year to decide whether they want to be part of the major expansion planned as a result of the $600-million, federal-provincial deal reached last summer.

Becky Druhan, the minister of education and early childhood development, told reporters Friday that the money, and slowing the process, were a direct result of conversations with operators.

"We're embarking on a five-year, transformational journey," said Druhan. "But what we've heard very clearly from the sector is they need some stability throughout that.

"This funding package that is provided today is exactly that. It's intended to provide that stability as we all work together to build towardour new system."

9,500 new spaces stipulated

The deal with Ottawa stipulates the money is intended to create up to 9,500 new daycare spaces over five years, and those spaces should be in non-profit centres.

The province originally told private operators they would only have until mid-March to decide whether they were willing to become non-profits to tap into that money.

Today, department officials said there was no longer a firm deadline. They saidexisting contracts would be extended a year with two new provisions funding to offset a previously announced 25 per cent reduction in fees to parents and a commitment to fill empty spaces "if operationally feasible."

Donna Buckland, who co-owns four private daycare centres in the Tantallonarea, said she was pleased with what the minister and her staff had to say in a session with operators prior to the news briefing.

Buckland saidthe one-time payment was welcome and so too was the department's decision to slow the process for operators eager to access the money from the federal-provincial deal.

"I think that the province signed this Canada-wide agreement too quickly," said Buckland."I think the Liberals were signing it to promote the fact that they were holding an election andit was an election thing that kind of drove this."