M E M O   /   N O T E   D E   S E R V I C E

 

 


 

 

To / Destinataire

Mayor and Members of Council /

Maire et membres du Conseil

File/N° de fichier:  ACS2003-PEO-COM-0014

From / Expéditeur

Jocelyne St Jean, General Manager / Directrice générale

People services Department

Services au citoyens

 

Contact / Personne-ressource :

Aaron Burry Director of Community Services Branch / Directeur des services communautaires

580-2424 ext. 23666, Aaron.Burry@ottawa.ca

Subject / Objet

CHILD CARE CAPITAL GRANTS ALLOCATION FOR 2003/

RÉPARITION DES SUBVENTIONS D’IMMOBILISATION POUR LA GARDE D’ENFANTS EN 2003

Date:  21 October 2003

          le 21 octobre 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this report is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with information regarding the distribution of the approved budget for Child Care Capital projects for 2003.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

In 1997 Regional Council adopted a Child Care Capital Grant policy.  The policy recognized the Region’s increased system management responsibility in child care and the withdrawal of all provincial capital funding, with the exception of health and safety related projects.  The Regional policy established three funding streams:  health and safety, minor capital and program support, development and expansion.  The separate health and safety funding stream was established at the time to maximize provincial funding opportunities.

 

 

information previously distributed

to be listed on health, recreation and social services committee agenda 2
15 January
2004

information distribuée antérieurement

à inscrire à l’ordre du jour 1 du comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux

le 15 janvier 2004

 

 


In 2001, the City of Ottawa amended the Child Care Capital Grant policy as part of the service planning process, to recognize changes that had taken place over the last five years.  The Province discontinued the provincial health and safety funding program, and as a result the City health and safety funding stream was combined with the minor capital funding stream in the revised City policy.  In the past 4 years a significant amount of capital funding has been allocated for the creation of new child care programs in educational institutions or to relocate child care programs due to school closures.  The provincial government’s school consolidation policy continues to have implications for child care programs that currently operate in school board facilities.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

The following section provides a description of child care capital projects for 2003.  All projects are consistent with the three year Child Care Service Plan approved by Council in July 2001.  Capital projects will serve the growth areas, and provide more flexible child care options for parents.

 

Carleton Roman Catholic Child Care Corporation

 

The Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board is currently planning the construction of a new elementary school near Spratt and Shoreline in the rapidly growing area of Riverside South.  The Carleton Roman Catholic Child Care Corporation (CRCCC) has requested capital funding to establish a licensed Child Care program for 20 Kindergarten and 30 School Age children.  The anticipated opening date of the child care program is September 2004.  The total cost to include a child care program in the new school is $375,000.  Staff has allocated a capital grant of $300,000, which represents an 80% contribution to the total project cost.

 

Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO)

 

The Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) is moving École élémentaire publique Séraphin-Marion to a new location at 2147 Loyola Avenue.  The CEPEO has negotiated with Le Centre de l’enfance Coopérative Brin d’Herbe to offer a Kindergarten and School Age child care program for 52 children at this location.  The anticipated opening date is May 2004. The CEPEO has requested capital funding to renovate space to accommodate the child care program.  The total project cost to renovate space for the child care program is $356,885.  Staff has allocated a capital grant of $285,508, which represents an 80% City contribution to the total project cost.

 

Ottawa Health Sciences Complex

 

In 2001, the City of Ottawa provided $10,000 to the Child Care Committee of the Ottawa Health Sciences Complex to determine the feasibility of establishing on-site child care for employees of the Ottawa Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, and the Rehabilitation and Research Institutes, and the surrounding community.  The feasibility study supported the establishment of a 49-space child care centre for Infants, Toddlers and Preschool children.  The major employers in the Ottawa Health Sciences Complex have subsequently selected and appropriate site and donated the land for this project.  This contribution lowers the total project cost significantly, and demonstrates the commitment of the stakeholders to this project.  The anticipated opening date is September 2004.  The total project cost is estimated at $1,000,0000.  Initial work on this project will begin in 2003 with the majority of funds being required in 2004.  Staff has allocated a capital grant of $200,000 in 2003, and the balance of $800,000 will be brought forward to the new City Council for approval in 2004.  To ensure the success of this project, disbursement of this funding will be conditional on the submission of a Business Plan, the development of an operating budget that meets with the City’s approval, and the establishment of a governance structure to oversee the operation of the child care program.

 

River Parkway Preschool

 

River Parkway Preschool Program at 30 Cleary Avenue in Ottawa has been operating out of the First Unitarian Church since 1968. Due to the age of the building the child care space is currently substandard with many deficiencies.  In 2000, the Unitarian congregation acquired land adjacent to their existing holdings that was identified as surplus to their needs.  River Parkway Preschool submitted a proposal to establish a stand-alone child care centre to house and expand their existing child care program.  The congregation subsequently selected River Parkway submission as the winning proposal.  The program will serve Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten and School Age children, expanding the total licensed capacity by 48 from 69 to 117 spaces.  The anticipated construction start date is September 2004.  The donation of land lowers the total project cost significantly and maximizes the City’s contribution to the project.  The total project cost is currently estimated at $1,500,000.  Preliminary work on this project will begin in 2003 with the majority of funds being required in 2004.  Staff has allocated a capital grant of $200,000 in 2003 and the balance of $1,300,000 will be brought forward for approval of the new City Council in 2004.  To ensure the success of this project, disbursement of this funding will be conditional on the development and submission of site and architectural plans, confirmation and Branch agreement with projected construction costs, and the development of an operating budget that meets with the City’s approval.

 

Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est (CECLFCE)

 

École des Villageois

 

The CECLFCE is opening a new personalized teaching school in Ottawa East at 1550 Verchére in Orleans in the existing École des Villageois.  The establishment of a child care program at this location will be essential to the success of the school.  The CECLFCE has negotiated with Centre parascholaire La Clémentine to operate a child care program for 40 Kindergarten and School Age children.  The CECLFCE is requesting funds for new equipment and minor renovations to the child care space.  The total cost of the project is $97,655. Staff has allocated a capital grant of $78,124, which represents an 80% City contribution to the total project cost.

 

École élémentaire catholique Marius-Barbeau

 

The CECLFCE is adding a modular unit to École élémentaire Marius-Barbeau to establish a child care program at this location.  This community serves a culturally diverse population with high needs.  There is a continuous demand from parents of children attending this school and in the surrounding area to have access to a licensed child care program.  As in other CECLFCE schools where child care is available, this new program will establish a partnership arrangement between Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes and the Child Care program to offer a seamless day for young children.  The anticipated opening date of the program is September 2004.  The total cost of the project is $500,000.  Staff has allocated a capital grant of $400,000, which represents an 80% City contribution to the total project cost.

 

Minor Capital Program

 

Child care capital projects with a maximum total cost of $40,000 are eligible to receive a minor capital grant of up to 50% of the total request.  Minor capital grant applications are reviewed twice a year, in the spring and fall, for allocation to community programs.  In the first application period, staff received requests for approximately $150,000 in minor capital grants.  Requests are primarily for minor renovations, upgrades to playgrounds and landscaping and appliance replacement or repair.  It is anticipated that an additional $100,000 in requests will be received in the second application period. Staff will allocate $250,000 to the minor capital program for 2003. As in previous years, staff would approve grants to community programs until the funding stream was exhausted.  Any unallocated funds at the end of the fiscal year would be returned to the Child Care Capital Grant Program fund.