Children’s Services estimates that that there are enough licensed child care spaces for just 25 per cent of the population in the region.
That number needs to be closer to 40 per cent.
“In Waterloo Region in the last year we did increase by 700 spaces which is really exciting, but we are a far way away still from the desired 40 per cent,” said Barb Cardow, director of Children’s Services of Waterloo Region.
Last week, the provincial government moved to increase the allowed number of children in home daycares from two to three.
Opponents of the move worry that it could result in unsafe conditions.
Finding daycare space for any child is difficult, but it can be particularly so for infants.
A new centre in opening in Cambridge will offer 130 spaces.
Only 10 of them are designated for infants.
“We know that most infant programs are full and they have extensive wait lists,” Cardow said.
Natasha Kocher runs Red River Early Learning Centre, a licensed home daycare centre.
She says she never has empty spaces, and that families often call her looking for spots.
“My first response was to really look at it from the perspective of families, and think this is going to take some pressure off them,” she said.
The region recommends that parents in need of daycare start their search through the OneList service as soon as possible.
