Killarney Guide

Community support has been terrific in helping shortfall at Kiddie Corner Early Learning Centre

BY KIM LANGEN

Massive jars of pickles, diapers, cereal, and cases of soup have been helping a local daycare to make ends meet.

But this wonderful community support won’t be enough for the increasing monthly wage expenditure now pressing on operators.

That’s because the federal and provincial implementation of the $10 a Day daycare program in April, along with mandated increases for staff wages that began last July, have put severe stressors on daycare operators to keep the wolf from the door.

“Staff wages went up 12 per cent last July, in 2022, and they have to go up another six per cent on July 1,” said Nicole Fleming, director of Kiddie Corner Daycare. “That will be an 18 per cent increase in one year. The government subsidy is set to cover the basics for us, but they don’t include break times for staff, for lunch, or coffee, and to cover extra staff that we need for holidays, or illness. There is a shortfall in coverage for adequate staffing; we have a current loss of around $1,500 a month at present, and on July 1 that will go up to $1,800. There seems to be a lack of understanding with the governments’ program in regards to staff numbers, of human needs, and of the daily operation and aspects of running a daycare.”

Fleming has now had to lay off the daycare’s bookkeeper, and is taking on the job herself, as a way to reduce staff costs.

“I feel sick to my stomach that I had to let our bookkeeper go,” she said. “I am now learning how to do Quick Books, facility reports, and all the other tasks of a bookkeeper.”

The $10 a day daycare program has clearly been terrific for working parents, reducing dramatically for them the previous rate of $20.80 a day that Kiddie Corner was charging. This has resulted in a consequent surge of demand for more childcare services, as people choose to go out to work, and a subsequent increase in waiting times for a childcare spot.

“Our waiting list time now for school age children, from seven to 12 years of age, is up to three years,” said Fleming.
“For pre-school, age two years to six years, it’s now one year. And for the infant room, age 12 weeks to two years, there is currently a wait list time of one-and-a-half to two years.”

To cope with the expenses, Fleming has increased the lunch fee – a full cooked meal – from $5 to $8 for infants, and $10 for preschoolers, she said. Donations have also flooded in to help with other needs at the daycare, she added.

“Increasing the meal fee has offset some loss,” she said. “And we have had tons of families, old employees, grandparents, and community members all contacting me to see how they can help. We have had donations of Kleenex, laundry soap, cereal, diaper wipes, plastic cups, paper towels, bleach, three 12-pack cases of soup (tomato and vegetable), and even three really big jars of dill pickles from Costco. We have had two donations of $100, Co-op gift cards of $100 and $200, and we had Steve Sample donate $300. Local gardeners have brought in strawberry, pepper, and tomato plants for our raised garden containers. It all helps, and it motivates us, but it doesn’t correct the shortfall for staff wages. It’s still a struggle. What do we need? Cash donations for the shortfall, and foods like jars of applesauce, tins of fruit or frozen fruit, crackers; things with a shelf life. But nothing with nuts, however, as we are nut-free.”

Donations can be left on the Kiddie Corner Early Learning porch at 711 Mountain Avenue, one block east of the Shamrock Centre, said Fleming. You can also contact Nicole Fleming at 204-523-8940 for more information, or to find out how to help the daycare.

A major boost for the daycare’s fundraising will be the upcoming Alair Homes 18-hole Charity Golf Tournament at the Killarney Lakeside Golf Course on July 7 (see ad below). Each year the group chooses a beneficiary for the profits, and this year Kiddie Corner Early Learning Centre will be the recipient.

“Kyle Neufeld, with Alair Homes, has been great in supporting us, and they are presenting the event,” said Fleming. “It’s pretty amazing, and it will really help us during this interim of adjustment. We are doing okay; we just have to keep coping, and hope that the government numbers will eventually come into a realistic place that will meet the needs of daycares like ours.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE STRAWBERRIES! – From left: Macoy, Robert, Nolan, Drew and Luka can’t wait to see flowers transform into red strawberries over at Kiddie Corner Daycare. The plants (and many other items) were donated to help the centre cope with newly mandated operational costs.

NICOLE FLEMING/PHOTO 

ROAD ACTION AT KIDDIE CORNER – Lively road action was keeping the kids happy recently at Kiddie Corner Early Learning Centre. The government program for $10 a day daycare, along with increasing wage tiers for employees, however, means that directors are struggling to meet payroll demands each month.

JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE