BANFF – The Banff Child Care Centre plans to be back to full capacity in September for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lindsay Jentzel, executive director of the child care centre, said all six rooms will be open, including the cub room, which is dedicated to children aged 12 months to approximately 15 months old.
“We’re licensed for children 12 months through five years and we’re reopening the cub room, meaning we’re opening eight spaces that have not been available for that younger age grouping,” she said.
“I’m just so happy that we’re able to open up to full capacity again and I think it’s such an important piece to the community.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, licensed preschools and child care centres were forced to meet a series of regulations to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among attendees, including considering ways for spaced activities or setting up rooms to avoid clustering or congested areas.
Initially, after the COVID-19 shutdown ended, the child care centre gradually opened more classrooms as health regulations loosened, and although the facility could accommodate children in that 12-15-month age cohort, the cub room has not reopened.
Serving families with early education and child care for over 40 years, the child care centre offers programming Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in six developmentally appropriate age group rooms and two safe and natural outdoor place spaces.
Jentzel said three new positions will be opening to add to the child care centre’s current staffing levels.
She said the Day Care Society of Banff purchased staff housing last October, which is instrumental in securing and retaining employees.
“That really has made a significant difference in me being able to hire people to work here,” Jentzel said.
“I do think that because of that staff accommodation, that's the reason why I’m able to open the cub room with confidence for September.”
Mayor Corrie DiManno said the reopening of the cub room is a good news story for Banff.
“We know that finding childcare in Banff and in the Bow Valley is a challenge for families, and unfortunately, it can often be a factor into their decision to leave our community,” she said.
“It’s a really sad day in Banff when we lose our families, and so hearing the news about the daycare going to full capacity, and in particular opening that room for the youngest children, is just so heartening,” she added.
“What welcome news and I hope that it enables some of those families that may be thinking through their futures here in Banff to be able to stay here.”
Banff has an estimated housing shortage of between 700-1,000 units.
The 2023 community social assessment determined housing affordability, availability and instability proposed the greatest challenge for residents.
Even with the introduction of subsidized housing units, such as those at the YWCA and Ti’Nu, the vacancy rate remains close to zero and purchasing a home sits at the severely unaffordable metric requiring 8.2 times a household income.
Residents reported housing insecurity as a leading cause of mental health stress and the lack of appropriate and affordable options as reasons for leaving the community.
DiManno said hearing of the staff housing for employees at the daycare is also a bonus.
“Absolutely everything goes back to housing all the time. I feel like most of the conversations you have in Banff when we’re talking to a lot of our challenges, particularly our social challenges, they all go back to housing.
“We know that housing is just the absolute cornerstone to your life here in Banff.”
DiManno said she is excited for what the future holds for Banff given the $4.6 million Banff is getting as part of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund and significant land use bylaw changes made to pave the way for more needed housing development.
“I hope that all of these make a difference,” said the mayor.
“I’m just so hopeful looking at the housing landscape in the next couple of years because I think it’s going to be a lot more affordable and a lot more comfortable housing.”
