What’s all this talk about space targets?  Here’s what we know

The ministry set out a model (Access and Inclusion Framework 2022) for how the spaces have been distributed across the 47 CMSMs and DSSABs. The majority of funding for spaces is allocated based on improving access to child care as it relates to equity. The goal is that across the province 37% of children birth to 5 years will have access to a child care space.

Additionally, funding for a portion of spaces has been allocated based on 5 socio-economic factors including;

1. children birth to 5 in lone parent families;
2.  low income measure (with children age 0-5); 
3. household spending >30% of income on shelter costs; 
4. recent immigrants, 2011-2016; 
5. women age 25 to 44 not participating in the labour force.

The suggested space targets were provided to the CMSMs and DSSABs for review and to identify their priority neighbourhoods for expansion based on: 

• supporting access to Low income families;
• vulnerable communities;
• diverse communities;
• children with special needs;
• Francophone families; 
• Indigenous families, and 
• families needing more flexible models of care.