After years of being awkwardly split between the north and south basements of MacNamara Hall, the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) day-care centre has finally relocated to a single facility.

The new state-of-the-art centre, located on Furby Place next to McFeetors Hall, opened its doors Sept. 8.

Kelly Ross, UWSA vice-president of student services, said the university was in desperate need of a new centre. Not only was the old centre outdated and required major renovations, it fell short of the high demand for childcare spaces on campus and in the downtown community.

“The day care wait-list is incredibly long,” Ross said.

While the old day-care centre only had 62 available spaces for infant to school-age children, the new centre offers 112 spaces.

The UWSA received a provincial day care program grant that covered half of the cost of the building. The remainder of the cost was split between the UWSA and the University of Winnipeg. The total cost of the building was $2,521,000.

And while it was a costly project, Susan Prentice, professor of sociology at the University of Manitoba and member of the Child Care Coalition of Manitoba (CCCM) described the project as an effective strategy for economic development.

“Although childcare services initially might look expensive, they have very positive effects on their local economies,” she said. “For both staff and students the presence of a high-quality childcare facility on campus enables them to balance their employment and their education.”

Prentice spoke of the barriers parents face with insufficient access to childcare in Manitoba. She referred to a recent survey conducted by the CCCM at the University College of the North that showed in one academic month over 50 per cent of students arrived to class late or had to leave early because of lack of childcare.

“When there is no childcare for [students] their education is diminished,” said Prentice.

And while the benefits of the new centre will certainly be felt on campus, Prentice said that it will also help the city as a whole.

“Winnipeg has a terrible shortage of childcare spaces,” she said, adding that in Winnipeg, there are more children on the waiting lists for childcare than there are in the centres.

A recent study conducted by the CCCM examined the economic impact of childcare in Winnipeg. The study concluded that for every $1 invested in childcare, $1.38 is returned to the Winnipeg economy.

As well, childcare not only creates jobs that stimulate the economy, it allows parents to enter the workforce. The study showed that every job in the childcare field allows for 2.5 jobs to be produced or maintained.

“I couldn’t be employed if I didn’t have childcare,” said Adina Lakser, a working parent and chair of the UWSA day care management committee. “It has expanded my abilities and opportunities.”

Lakser, whose own children have been in the day care for the past five years, is excited for the new facility.

“It is one thing to have childcare, but it’s another thing to have childcare you feel good about,” she said.

Published in Volume 64, Number 2 of The Uniter (September 10, 2009)