A $5.5-million Winnipeg-area daycare facility built two years ago with provincial funds sits vacant, surrounded by weeds, and heavily damaged after being targeted by thieves and flooded by rainwater. The 74-space facility in East St. Paul was constructed in 2024 for the Peguis First Nation Real Estate Trust as part of a provincial childcare initiative. Despite a non-profit group waiting to move in and an extensive local waiting list, the building has never welcomed a single child. The provincial government states that a change in land ownership contravened the intended operating agreement, stalling the opening indefinitely. A recent tour of the facility revealed broken windows, damaged security systems, missing commercial appliances, stripped copper wiring, and partially dismantled rooftop air-conditioning units. Because the building went months without power, the sump pump failed, allowing roughly half a metre of water to pool in the basement and causing ceiling damage. Selkirk RCMP investigated the incidents but have not identified any suspects. Patrick Ryan, the volunteer board chair for the designated operator Created 4 Me Early Learning Centre, estimated that the repair costs for the unused facility exceed $1 million. The province paid out $3.3 million of the budgeted funds before halting payments in November 2024. Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt stated that the government cannot proceed until it receives proper documentation confirming land ownership. Meanwhile, daycare advocates and local operators are urging officials to cut through bureaucratic hurdles and resolve the impasse so families can finally access the much-needed childcare spaces.
Source: cbc.ca
