Funding to support more daycare spaces in Carleton North

Release

Regional Development Corporation

June 02, 2025

CARLETON NORTH (GNB) – The provincial government is supporting the Step Ahead – Bath Family Learning Centre in building a new educational daycare facility.

“This funding will reduce wait-lists and open more doors to ensure families in this region receive the services they need for their children,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation. “This space will give children more learning opportunities, and help families access affordable child care.”

The government is providing $840,000 to support construction of an accessible 743-square metre (8,000-square foot) facility. Land for the project was transferred from the government to the District of Carleton North for one dollar. This initiative has also received support from the local community, and $500,000 from the federal government through the Canada-New Brunswick Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which committed to creating 3,400 new designated early learning child-care spaces by March 31, 2026.

“I am incredibly proud to see the Step Ahead – Bath Family Learning Centre becoming a reality,” said Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey. “This new daycare facility will be a game-changer for our local families, offering high-quality and affordable child care right here in our community. It will mean that more children will have access to early-learning opportunities, which will help establish the foundation for their lifelong success. We are excited for the young people to attend and for the educators who will work in this modern facility. This project represents an investment in our future. I want to thank the federal and provincial governments for the funding towards this project and to everyone involved in bringing this vision to life.”

“Parents need to know they can access affordable child care in Canada,” said federal Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu. “The investment we are making in the Step Ahead – Bath Family Learning Centre today is making parents’ lives easier. Together, our governments are saving families in New Brunswick thousands in child-care costs every year and making accessible child care a reality for parents across Canada.”

The facility will offer child-care services for six infants, 56 children aged two to four, 10 preschoolers (four-year-olds in a kindergarten-readiness program, attending half-days) and 45 after-school participants.

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