A daycare near Winnipeg, constructed two years ago with $5.5 million in provincial funding, remains unoccupied, vandalized, and overgrown with weeds due to theft and flooding damage. The non-profit organization intended to operate the facility and a supporter of not-for-profit daycares are appealing to the province to open the East St. Paul daycare, which has yet to serve any children.
The 74-space daycare, built in 2024 for the Peguis First Nation Real Estate Trust, stands empty despite having an eager daycare operator with 800 children on its waitlist. The provincial government has attributed the delay to a change in land ownership that violates the daycare’s operating agreement.
During a recent inspection by CBC News, extensive damage to both the interior and exterior of the building was documented. The facility has suffered from broken windows, stolen appliances, stripped copper wire, dismantled air-conditioning units, and water damage, with the basement accumulating about half a meter of water due to a non-operational sump pump.
The volunteer board chair of Created 4 Me Early Learning Centre expressed disappointment over the situation, estimating the damages to exceed $1 million. The organization had recruited staff for the daycare but had to release them after repeated failed attempts to open the center.
Investigations by Selkirk RCMP did not lead to identifying any suspects responsible for the damage. The delays in opening the daycare have been a significant challenge for the daycare’s operators, causing emotional strain and uncertainty due to the lack of a set opening date.
The daycare’s construction was part of a project initiated by the former Progressive Conservative government and JohnQ Public, a company jointly owned by 11 Manitoba municipalities. Funding for the daycare ceased in November 2024, with the province indicating that the project may not have followed standard provincial or municipal procurement procedures. Despite efforts to resolve the land ownership issue, the daycare remains closed, awaiting legal clarity on ownership.
The ongoing delay in opening the daycare has raised concerns among advocates for childcare, who question the bureaucratic hurdles preventing its operation. Calls have been made for increased government intervention to expedite the process and fulfill the need for additional daycare spaces.
