Parents who access childcare through the Dave Barr Community Centre could soon pay more for services. On Tuesday, Financial Business Advisor Shauna Hanson presented Grande Prairie city council members with a number of options and recommend raising prices to meet other daycare fees in the area.
“We’ve presented options that look at increasing our fees to the highest price that’s currently in the community, we’ve looked at the option of increasing our fees to the average price that’s currently available in the community and then we’ve also looked at the option of keeping fees where they are.”
The centre currently offers four different types of childcare including the Kid’s Place Daycare, Kid’s Place Pre-K Room, Kid’s Klub After School Care and Family Day Home Services. While Hanson didn’t want to comment on specific price changes until they are approved, documents show that children enrolled full time would see the price change with the afterschool program going from $280 to $420 and daycare going from $850 to $900.
The centre has also recommended adding a toddler room to its programming. That room would open up 12 new spots which Hanson says would reduce waitlists she says she’s seen in the city.
“Most organizations in the community that you talk to, they’ll identify right away that they have long waitlists and there’s children that aren’t able to receive these services… This is really going to add additional room for children in the community to be able to access daycare services.”
If the toddler room is approved, two new full-time staff and one part-time staff member would be hired. Hanson hopes that room will be open by September 1st. All changes will need to be approved by council at a future meeting. If they are, the fees would also change September 1st. Parents who have already enrolled their children wouldn’t see a change until next year.