On April 24, the Laurentian Child and Family Centre (LCFC) marked a milestone with the opening of 26 new preschool-age childcare spaces at Laurentian University. The new addition, located across from the main centre, was celebrated with the sounds of children’s laughter as the ribbon was cut.
Located on the lower level of the Laurentian School of Education, the expanded facility brings the total number of spaces under LCFC’s care to 100. The centre employs 24 registered early childhood educators to ensure quality care.
The Laurentian Child and Family Centre operates as a non-profit organization with an open-access policy. This means that children of all cultures, religions, and abilities are welcome to attend.
Miranda Mackie, the city manager of children’s services, shared that the new spaces are part of Greater Sudbury’s ongoing investment in child care. The expansion is supported by the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program, which aims to create more child care spaces while reducing costs for families. This project also marks a continuation of the city’s 50-year partnership with Laurentian University.
Lynn Wells, president of Laurentian University, emphasized that offering preferential childcare spaces to students aligns with the university’s commitment to inclusivity.
“We aim to be a community-centered university,” said Wells. “Our goal is to involve students in every aspect of campus life. This includes not only their academic work but also extracurricular and experiential learning opportunities.”
The daycare centre also provides hands-on learning experiences for students at the School of Education.
“Experiential learning is a key part of all our programs at Laurentian,” Wells explained. “This expansion gives our education students additional opportunities to gain practical experience while completing their degrees.”
