Hundreds of P.E.I. families seeking infant child care as province works to expand spaces

Hundreds of P.E.I. parents can't find child-care spaces, especially for infants. The provincial government says expanding those spots remains a top priority — and it recognizes the concern.

The provincial child care registry has about 1,800 names on its list, according to recent data from the Department of Education and Early Years.

More than 1,400 are waiting for infant care, with close to 800 families needing an infant spot immediately.

At the BGC Prince County Kensington Club Junior, director Patti Gallant sees that demand every day.

The centre opened at the end of May after BGC purchased the building with support from a provincial low-interest loan program. It employs 14 staff and currently serves 45 children, including six infants.

Gallant said the centre reached capacity in August and currently has a waitlist of about 150 children — most of them babies.

“I do get quite a few calls. A lot of the calls [are] parents looking for spaces. They're in a panic because they're required to be back to work and... they can't find spaces for their children,” Gallant told CBC News.

“There is a need there for infant spaces. I feel terrible that we are full and we don't see any movement till probably next September.”

Education and Early Years Minister Robin Croucher said the province knows the infant waitlist is a major concern.

“A big part of our focus moving forward as a government and as a department is to start addressing that need for that infant space,” Croucher said.

Croucher said several factors have contributed to the long waitlist, including “record population growth” and the $10-a-day child-care program introduced in recent years.

“Certainly, it's more enticing for families now to seek out child care,” he said.

To meet demand, the province has introduced grant programs to support the expansion of early years centres and, two years ago, launched a low-interest loan initiative for new construction or expansion of early years centres.

“There's been a lot of interest and uptake in them,” he said. “We've been able to grow our sector by, you know, 1,000 spots roughly… so quite happy with how those programs have really been successful in building our system and our capacity.”