Construction to begin on four new Manitoba daycares

Construction will soon begin on four new child care centres in Manitoba.

Provincial officials touted a $9 million investment on Wednesday, which will create about 250 new child care spaces at four new centres and an expanded existing site.

The $9 million investment is spread across the five projects as follows:

$2.5 million for 74 additional spaces at École R.H.G. Bonnycastle School in Waverley Heights

$2.2 million for 64 new spaces at Highbury School in South Winnipeg

$2 million for 40 new spaces at St. Andrews School in St. Andrews

$2 million for as many as 74 spaces at Le P´tit Bonheur in St. Boniface with an expansion of École Tache

$640,000 for 20 new spaces at at Oak Lake Community School in Oak Lake

Kym Schmidt, the head of the Cairns Children's Centre says even with the new spaces there will still be hundreds of families who still have to wait two to three years for a space for their child.

"My waiting list is very long. I get calls every day," she said. "Now I'll be able to answer more confidently that we have spaces and we'll be helping families in the community."

Construction on many of the projects is expected to begin this spring.