SUNDRE - A co-owner of the Little Duckling Daycare in Sundre said she understands the provincial government’s reasons for ending two grant funds, and added the business will not be particularly impacted.
Jessica Rigsby, who is also an alternate director at the privately-run, fully licensed and accredited centre, said last week that as a smaller operation, she does not expect its budget’s bottom line will be broken.
A Dec. 11, 2019 letter sent to childcare organizations across the province from Alberta Children’s Services stated the Benefit Contribution Grant and the Staff Attraction Incentive programs would be discontinued April 1, 2020.
“We’ve never used the staff attraction one as of yet,” said Rigsby, adding that grant would have been a nice option to have if they planned to expand.
However, the end of the Benefit Contribution Grant will represent a minor hit for the business, she said.
“We stand to lose funding for staff holidays,” she said, adding they’ll also have to pay Employment Insurance.
“We used to get some money from them (the government) to help cover that, so that’ll be gone.”
But since the centre is smaller and the amount that used to be paid out by the grant was based on the number of employees, she said they did not receive that much to begin with, and will be able to absorb the loss.
“We plan on eating that cost for our customers,” she said, later adding that will represent a loss of about $200 a month.
“It’s not substantial. We’re not super concerned.”
More importantly, she said the centre would continue to receive government top-ups.
“That’s a huge thing for us.”
She expressed an unreserved preference for keeping the top-up program over the other two grants.
“I do understand where the government is coming from,” she said.
Ensuring the top-up program remains sustainable and continues to be provided — even if that means cutting other grants — should be the priority, she said.
“I actually do agree with what they’ve done.”
Sundre's other two accredited daycare centres also recently said the cuts would not substantially hit their bottoms lines.
