Update on the Child Care Facility in the Sunderland PS Community

In 2021, the provincial government committed $1.6 million to support the development of a new child care facility in the Sunderland community. Following full project development, the total projected cost for the project came in at approximately $5.5 million—well beyond the available funding. 

The province later agreed to increase its contribution by 25%, bringing the total provincial funding to approximately $2 million, and asked the Board to seek external funding partners to cover the remaining shortfall. DDSB has since made efforts to identify external partners to help bridge the $3.5 million funding gap, however, we were unfortunately unable to secure the additional funding required to move the project forward. 

We understand this news will be disappointing for families in Sunderland and recognize the continued need for increased access to child care in the region. The DDSB remains committed to committed to advocating for the needs of Sunderland families and working with provincial and community partners to identify future opportunities for expanding child care access in Sunderland.  

Importantly, this cancellation does not impact the early learning or before- and after-school programs currently operating at Sunderland Public School. These programs will continue without change.