TBDSSAB announces new child care spaces

Media Release: TBDSSAB announces new child care spaces

May 8, 2026 – The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) will support the expansion of licensed child care spaces in the District of Thunder Bay in 2026.

TBDSSAB has partnered with three organizations to add 118 new licensed spaces through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program.

The new spaces are part of TBDSSAB’s service system plan and the Ministry of Education’s goal to create 196 new licensed CWELCC spaces across the District of Thunder Bay between 2024-2026. Of this total, 52 were added in 2024 by existing licensed child care programs, and 26 were added in 2025 through the creation of a new program at Our Kids Count.

Three projects will receive funding in 2026, totalling 118 spaces and $1,758,804 in expansion funding*. Detailed announcements and grand openings will be planned as projects are completed.

* Total funding from one or more of the following sources administered by TBDSSAB on behalf of the federal and provincial governments: Early Learning Child Care Infrastructure Funding, Start Up Grant, Local Priorities funding.

Quotes:

“Affordable child care is an economic tool that helps communities grow. When parents can find good, reliable child care, they can work, train, or build a business. That helps families earn more and helps the whole province stay competitive. In Thunder Bay, lower fees are saving families thousands of dollars and keeping more people in the workforce. We will keep working with partners to protect and expand these spaces so every child can learn, and every family can plan for a strong future.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

“Families in Thunder Bay will soon have more child care options, with 118 new spaces opening this year. Providing more access to high-quality, affordable child care helps children get the start they need to prepare for their first years of school and gives parents the security knowing their kids are in safe supportive spaces.”
– The Honourable Paul Calandra, Minister of Education

“The Board of Directors and staff of Nanabijou Childcare Centre are excited to be part of offering more child care spaces to the city of Thunder Bay.”
– Marcia Arpin, Executive Director, Nanabijou Childcare Centre

“High-quality child care is essential to building strong families and resilient communities. The Métis Nation of Ontario is proud to work with the Government of Canada and the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board to create child care spaces, increasing opportunities for Métis families to access culturally appropriate, high quality early learning. This investment will support not only children’s development, but also the economic well-being of parents and the broader community.”
– Margaret Froh, President, Métis Nation of Ontario

“Brass Bell Family Resource Centre is pleased to collaborate with Community Partners to address the need for a Licensed Child Care Centre in Terrace Bay.”
– Colleen Kjellman, Executive Director, Brass Bell Family Resource Centre

“When children have safe, nurturing places to learn and grow, parents and guardians can pursue work, education, and community engagement with greater peace of mind. These new spaces reflect our collective commitment to investing in our families and building a brighter future together.”
– Crystal Simeoni, Director Integrated Social Services, TBDSSAB

“Ensuring we are moving forward in our service system plan to create more licensed child care spaces for families requires the collaborative work with the child care programs and post-secondary education sector to create a sustainable and knowledgeable workforce. The ongoing support of the federal and provincial governments with CWELCC spaces and funding is necessary and appreciated as an integral component of expansion of these spaces. We look forward to continuing the conversation with the Ministry on the needs of our district and are appreciative of all those who have supported this expansion.”
– Ken Ranta, Chief Executive Officer, TBDSSAB

Quick Facts:

• TBDSSAB currently has service agreements with 25 licensed child care service providers, with a total of 52 program locations. With this expansion, that number will increase to 26 providers and 55 locations.
• There are 1,503 children in CWELCC spaces as of January 2026.
• CWELCC is a national child care program aimed at lowering child care fees for parents and guardians of children under the age of six, increasing child care spaces, and supporting and growing the child care workforce. Through CWELCC, child care fees across the province have been reduced to $22/day or less as of January 2025.
  • CWELCC is funded by the provincial and federal governments and administered locally by TBDSSAB.
  • The federal government has also provided infrastructure funding for service system managers to support the creation of new licensed CWELCC spaces.
• TBDSSAB issued an Expression of Interest in June 2025 to ensure an equitable process for organizations throughout the District to support the growth of not-for-profit licensed child care spaces. The EOI closed on June 13, 2025.
• TBDSSAB has partnered with Confederation College to invest in recruitment and retention of the next generation of early childhood educators (ECEs).
  • In 2025, TBDSSAB awarded $107,000 in bursaries to 39 first- and 34 second-year students in the ECE Program.
  • In 2025, the Fast Track ECE Program had 11 graduates and another 15 registered for January 2026.