Lanark County is updating its expansion plan for the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program after receiving approval for 106 additional licensed child care spaces.
The expansion raises the County’s total CWELCC target from 1,624 to 1,730 spaces by Dec. 31, 2026.
CWELCC is the federal-provincial child care program aimed at reducing fees to an average of $10 a day while expanding access to licensed care across Ontario.
Warden Richard Kidd was all smiles with this news.
The County says the additional spaces were granted following a provincial “recalibration exercise” earlier this year after service managers across Ontario identified ongoing pressure for more child care capacity.
Children’s Services Manager Katie Mitchell noted many operators are licensed for more spaces than they actively use, particularly in school-based programs where classrooms can shift year to year.
Mitchell says unused spaces may be reassigned to providers better positioned to expand.
Under the revised plan, the largest number of CWELCC spaces would be located in Carleton Place with 624 spaces projected by the end of 2026, followed by Mississippi Mills with 486 spaces, Smiths Falls with 282 spaces and Perth with 211 spaces.
Additional projected allocations include Beckwith (74 spaces), Drummond/North Elmsley (22 spaces), Montague (25 spaces), Tay Valley (6 spaces).
Story by Grant Deme
