Trail Talking

I was pleased to recently tour new Legacy Children’s Centre with Families Minister Rochelle Squires. The new Legacy Children’s Centre was developed and constructed by the Heartland Community Church as an addition to the existing church structure. The total cost for this project was over $733,000, with more than $286,000 contributed by the province through the Early Learning Child Care (ELCC) Building Fund. The 1,192 square foot centre will create 32 new licensed pre-school spaces, and were approved for $14,000 in start-up grants and $133,000 in annual operating grant funding. Congratulations to the Heartland Community Church for this tremendous achievement and thank you for your hard work and dedication to this project.

I am also pleased to highlight that our provincial government is formally launching a new tool with enhanced features to help families more easily access early learning and childcare services. After launching the Manitoba Child Care Search (MCCS) in August of last year, as a response to the needs of families during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has proven to be an effective and easy-to-use tool for parents. As such, we have decided to expand the MCCS and retire the Online Child Care Registry that is currently in place. The MCCS is a user-friendly online tool that connects families with licensed childcare facilities to meet their immediate or future needs. The MCCS lists up-to-date information on licensed childcare centre vacancies, hours of operation, and locations. For more information on the Manitoba Child Care Search, visit manitoba.ca.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Manitobans for coming together and doing what was needed to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It has been a difficult year for us all, but we are beginning to recover from the effects of it, as we continue to ease public health restrictions and regain a sense of normalcy. I look forward to getting back out in the community, attending local events, such as fall suppers and festivals, and just chatting with constituents.

I would also like to encourage all Manitobans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. All Manitobans aged 12 and up are eligible to book an appointment to be vaccinated for first and second doses. For more information and to book an appointment, please visit https://protectmb.ca/ or call 1-844-626-8222.