Leeds and Grenville Announces Allocation of 637 New Child Care Spaces

Brockville – The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is pleased to announce that all 637 Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Directed Growth Strategy spaces allocated to the region by the Ontario government have now been approved, and construction and program development are underway.

This initiative is being funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario, under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which supports the creation of affordable, high-quality licensed child care across the province.

All 637 new spaces are expected to be operational by December 31, 2026, representing a major step forward in expanding affordable, high-quality licensed child care for families across Leeds and Grenville.

This initiative builds on the success of earlier phases and reflects the Counties’ ongoing commitment to creating accessible, equitable, and sustainable child care opportunities in communities across the region.

Building on the success of Phase 1, the Counties have approved Phase 2 of the YMCA of Eastern Ontario’s child care project in Gananoque, which will add 49 new infant, toddler, and preschool spaces at the 400 Stone Street location.

In addition, the Gananoque and District Co-Operative Nursery School has been approved to open 10 new full-time toddler spaces and will transition to full-day, year-round operations for both its existing preschool program and new toddler program beginning in 2026.

Several other communities across Leeds and Grenville will also benefit from the expansion of the CWELCC system. Spencerville and Cardinal will see the very first licensed toddler and preschool spaces being opened in their communities.

In Spencerville, Bells Corners Nursery School will operate 39 toddler and preschool spaces, while in Cardinal, the YMCA of Eastern Ontario will operate 42 new infant, toddler, and preschool spaces, bringing much-needed licensed child care closer to families in these growing areas.

In Athens, an innovative partnership between the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and Kampus Kids Early Learning Centre will create 60 new infant, toddler, and preschool spaces, along with 15 school-age spaces, as part of the redevelopment of a portion of Maple View Lodge.

This project will form part of a larger initiative to reimagine the campus of care model, pairing the newly built G. Tackaberry and Family Home with a new rural child care centre to provide families with access to a continuum of high-quality services within their own community.

In Kemptville, Madison Montessori Academy will expand its existing program to add 99 new toddler, preschool, and kindergarten spaces. In addition, Centre éducatif Cœur des Jeunes recently added 13 Francophone toddler and preschool spaces at the Kemptville Campus, with an additional 10 infant spaces scheduled to open at this site in early 2026, further strengthening child care options in one of the region’s fastest-growing communities.

In the northern part of the Counties, Lombardy will see 13 new kindergarten spaces become CWELCC-supported, operated by Centre éducatif Les Petits Trésors, expanding access to affordable early learning opportunities for families in that area.

In addition to centre-based programs, several new licensed home child care providers under contract with the YMCA of Eastern Ontario will be adding new spaces in Spencerville, Athens, Tincap, and Brockville. These home-based providers will further enhance the flexibility and accessibility of licensed child care for families, particularly in smaller or rural communities.

When complete, these projects will result in 637 new affordable, licensed child care spaces across Leeds and Grenville, all operational by December 31, 2026. This total includes the 280 CWELCC spaces already opened or near completion in Gananoque, Kemptville, Brockville, Prescott, and Portland, demonstrating the commitment of all levels of government to expanding access to licensed child care throughout the region