The Lac La Biche Childcare Association has informed Portage College that they’ll be closing down their daycare on the campus at the end of the month.
In a press release, the college calls the news “a harsh blow.” “We recognize the disruption this cancellation of service means to parents, particularly to our students at the LLB Campus. We are appreciative that the LLB Childcare Association is facilitating movement of children to other daycare providers. While there will be logistics to be worked out, like transportation and possible reimbursement of fees, we are not without adequate numbers of daycare placements in LLB. The children will be accommodated but there will be inconvenience to our students who are parents and those affected.”
The Childcare Association is a separate entity from the college, but Portage had been providing the space for free as well as offering financial incentives to keep them around. The number of parents enrolled is declining however, making up just 4% of the population. Even then some don’t have their children in daycare.
Portage College says they’ll be working on a tender to award to a potential new daycare in the same space.