Brandon YMCA child-care expansion gets additional $600,000 in provincial funding

Manitoba is funding the expansion of a Brandon child-care centre to the tune of $600,000, Premier Heather Stefanson announced Tuesday.

The provincial support for Brandon’s Y Downtown Early Learning Centre is on top of a previous $600,000 pledged last year, for a total of $1.2 million.

Stefanson, along with Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko, said the expansion — part of a larger project in the works at the Brandon YMCA — will double the centre’s capacity to 96 from 48 spaces upon completion, creating 12 new infant spaces and 36 new preschool spaces.

“This change will enable more spaces to be developed and improve access to licensed early learning and child-care programs for all children, regardless of where they live,” said Ewasko.

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The YMCA’s CEO Lon Cullen said the additional spaces mean more than 40 Brandon families will be able to contribute to the city’s economy, while knowing their children will be in good hands.

The centre’s expansion is expected to open in November.

1:01 Joint funding of $70M to create 1,200 new Manitoba child-care spaces