June 17, 2011

PROVINCE BUILDS NEW WEST KILDONAN CHILD-CARE CENTRE UNDER FAMILY CHOICES STRATEGY: MACKINTOSH

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74 New Spaces at Victory School

Manitoba continues to fulfil its commitment to support families and is building on the successful partnership with schools under the five-year Family Choices strategy with the creation of a new 74-space early learning and child-care centre at Victory School in Winnipeg, Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.
“The future of early learning and child care in West Kildonan just got a little brighter with the expansion of Sunny Mountain Day Care Centre to this location on the grounds of Victory School,” said Mackintosh.  “We think the partnership of early learning and child-care centres with schools creates a great advantage for children and their parents.”
Sunny Mountain Day Care Centre will be a building at Victory School, with spaces for 20 infants and 54 preschool aged children.  The $1.5-million project is being built through the Family Choices Building Fund, which to date has focused on the use of surplus school space for child-care centres.  This new Sunny Mountain site on Victory School property will be the start of a new approach for addressing the need for more child care, Mackintosh said.  The Seven Oaks School Division will own the building and partner with Sunny Mountain Day Care as the operator of the new centre.
“We’re pleased to partner with the province on this project and look forward to expanding the child-care options for parents in the area,” said Brian O’Leary, Seven Oaks School Division superintendent.  “This is a first and we’re excited to help develop a project that partners with schools in a way that will result in a brand new, purposely built, child and family-friendly centre.”
Sunny Mountain Day Care Centre Inc. operates three child-care centres in the Seven Oaks area including school-based centres at Governor Semple and Belmont schools and a centre at 1965 Main St.
Since its introduction in April 2008, Family Choices has committed funding for 5,600 more child-care spaces with a goal of 6,500 by 2013, Mackintosh said, adding it has also supported the building of 54 new child-care sites, exceeding its goal of 35 new sites.  Family Choices can be viewed at www.manitoba.ca/familychoices.

 Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh presents Debra Page of Sunny Mountain Day Care Centre with the centre's first book at the announcement of their new 74 space child care centre to be built at Victory School

June 17, 2011

FOUR UNIQUE CHILD-CARE SUPER CENTRES FOR WINNIPEG'S NORTH END: MACKINTOSH

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$6.5 Million for Support Services, Training Resources, 139 New Spaces Under Family Choices Strategy

The province is investing $6.5 million in four large resource centres in Winnipeg’s north end to help families and new Canadians build strong communities with 139 new child-care spaces, early learning, job training and support services, Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.
The announcement took place at Makoonsag Intergenerational Children’s Centre, the first of the four new family resource centres.  Makoonsag, meaning Many Little Bears, is a new and distinctive early learning and child-care centre under construction that will soon offer students and community members a special place for children to thrive and grow, Mackintosh said, adding it will offer 52 new child-care spaces.
“Makoonsag and the other unique centres will help people in the north end unleash their full potential and open doors to brighter futures,” said Mackintosh.  “We know that quality early learning and child care let parents enter the workforce knowing their children are in safe, stimulating and caring environments.  We also know that by offering job training, education and other supports in holistic settings, parents and new Canadians will be better prepared for jobs that will let them support their families and thrive in their community.”
Makoonsag, which is co-ordinated by Urban Circle Training Centre, and the other three family support centres have been developed to respond to community needs and will offer their own unique range of other services and supports.  These projects include:

• Manidoo Gi Minni Gonaan in Lord Selkirk Park will have 47 new child-care spaces, a family resource centre and a new early childhood development centre. 
• Eagle Wing Early Education Centre includes 16 new spaces, for a total of 44.  The centre is part of SISTARS, an organization that offers a community wellness room.
• Anne Ross Day Nursery in Mount Carmel Clinic will see an expansion of its early learning and child-care program by 24 spaces in the next two years, for a total of 64 spaces.  Mount Carmel Clinic provides important primary care and other supports to the surrounding community.

“Manitoba Housing is investing $2 million in this child-care super centre as part of a transformation of our housing communities to strengthen not only our housing stock, but also on-site resident services and supports.  This is an investment in stronger families through greater opportunities for the children and parents of Lord Selkirk Park.  This, in turn, benefits us all,” said Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross.
“The province is pleased to support Urban Circle Training Centre in its efforts to provide an important new and exciting community resource on Selkirk Avenue,” said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux.  “This project complements the efforts of Manitoba’s Winnipeg Regeneration Strategy, which supports inner-city revitalization through improving physical, social, economic and environmental conditions.”
“Project Makoonsag is the vision of our elders Stella Blackbird, Stan McKay and Ann Thomas Callahan, who see Makoonsag as an opportunity for families to learn together in the circle of life as they did traditionally before the fracturing of the family as a result of the residential school experience,” said Eleanor Thompson, director of development for Urban Circle Training Centre.  “Elders, parents and other Aboriginal role models will be an integral part of the children’s daily experience.  The elders believe that it is time to reclaim our community for our children as they are our future.”
Since its introduction in April 2008, Family Choices has committed funding for 5,600 more child-care spaces with a goal of 6,500 by 2013.  It has also supported the building of 54 new child-care site, exceeding its goal of 35 new sites.  Family Choices can be viewed at www.manitoba.ca/familychoices.
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