The Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (RRDSSAB) announced several newly added children’s services in the Rainy River District.
Dan McCormick, chief administrative officer at the RRDSSAB, said during the annual Rainy River District Municipal Association meeting (RRDMA) that they have been working on some projects to improve children’s services around the district.
The first project that will come to fruition in 2021 is a childcare centre at the Donald Young School in Emo.
“In partnership with the Rainy River District School Board, we have almost completed construction in Emo with the new building attached to Donald Young School,” McCormick said.
Expected to operate in the spring of 2021, this childcare centre will have 39 spaces including 15 for toddlers and 24 for preschoolers. This project costs $3.02 million and was fully funded by the province.
A second project in Rainy River set to become operational in September 2022 is a new K to Grade 12 school with both an attached childcare centre and an Early On centre. It will have 49 spaces, 15 for toddlers and 24 for preschoolers. The province of Ontario provided full funding of $3.2 million.
Finally, McCormick announced renovations to the Atikokan High School to be finished in September 2022.
“The province has decided to build a new kindergarten and grade 12 with an attached childcare centre and Early On centre in [Atikokan],” McCormick said.
The childcare centre will have 49 spaces, 10 for infants, 15 for toddlers and 24 for preschoolers. The province fully funded this $3.55 million project.
McCormick also provided a wrap up of the children’s services introduced in 2020.
The first project was the Pathways Atelier at St. Mary’s School which was built in partnership with the Northwest District Catholic School Board.
“It is fully operational and includes 39 spaces, including 15 for toddlers and 20 for preschool,” McCormick said.
McCormick said this project cost about $1.6 million and was fully provided by the province of Ontario.
Another project that was operational in 2020 is the Tall Oaks Atelier at Robert Moore School. Built in partnership with the Rainy River District School Board, it has 49 spaces including 10 for infants, 15 for toddlers and 24 for preschoolers.
This project which cost $1.21 million was also fully funded by the province. This project was operational in 2020 with infant care planned for 2021.
A project awaiting provincial license is the Indigenous Lead Childcare Center, which was built in partnership with the United Native Friendship Center. This centre will offer 49 spaces including 10 for infants, 15 for toddlers and 24 for preschoolers. The province provided 100 per cent of the $2.8 million needed to implement the project.
With the development of these projects in the Rainy River District, McCormick said an issue they are facing is the lack of early childhood educators.
“If you have any family or friends that are looking for a good paying job, as we bring these online, we will be looking for more early childhood educators,” McCormick said.
