Nova Scotia announced Thursday it will spend $4.5 million to add more child-care spaces in Cumberland County.
The funding will allow 77 new spaces to be created, according to a news release from the province, and will go to two child-care operators:
- Wentworth Learning Centre Co-operative in Wentworth, N.S.
- Oxford Community Centre Association in Oxford, N.S.
The Wentworth project is an expansion to the existing centre, set to open in October, and will have 41 new spaces.
“In our area, we see an increasing number of families struggling to make ends meet with an extended 18-month parental leave. Expanding our centre to include infant care will help our parents and guardians with infants return to work sooner than they would otherwise,” said Jordan Sprague, Wentworth Learning Centre Co-operative executive director, in the news release.
“Offering this service may also give families the choice to stay in the community when they might otherwise feel pressured to relocate to urban areas where licensed infant care is currently provided.”
The Oxford project is new construction and is scheduled to open in February 2026 with 36 new spaces.
“By investing in child care, we invest in our future, helping families participate in the workforce and grow Nova Scotia’s economy,” said Minister Tory Rushton, on behalf of Brendan Maguire, minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.
“We will continue to work with all of our partners to add more spaces for Cumberland County.”
The province says more than 6,500 new child-care spaces have been created since 2021.
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