Community Services Committee

WHEREAS a Municipal Child Care Centre Review ( ACS2021-CSS-GEN-0008 ) was completed and presented to City Council in June 2021 as a result of the child care and early years sector undergoing a significant period of transformation, modernization and growth; and WHEREAS having access to French-language child care and early years services is important for Francophone families in Ottawa. These services develop a sense of belonging, foster community vitality, preserve the language and encourage attendance in French-language schools; and WHEREAS the Review found that services at 111 Sussex Drive located between Lowertown and New Edinburgh, did not meet Council's mandate for municipally operated child care. This finding is mostly attributable to not serving families who face various barriers and systemic challenges; and WHEREAS parents and families in Lowertown are very concerned about the loss of city-run Francophone child care in the area; and WHEREAS the current report recommendation is to reaffirm the City’s 2021 commitment to direct staff to seamlessly transition these critical Francophone spaces, minimize impacts for families, work with the Centre éducatif Pinocchio landlord and a not-for-profit child care provider to maintain dedicated Francophone spaces and prioritize these spaces within directed growth strategies to ensure the spaces can remain within the CWELCC system offering reduced fees for families; and WHEREAS Children’s Services is guided by the Council-approved Chil

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Community Services Committee allow discussion of this item for consideration by the committee at today’s meeting, pursuant to subsection 89(4) of the Procedure By-law (being by-law no. 2022-410) to allow for an update on the matter.