Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 08/02) - Under-funded, and facing high staff turnover rates, NWT day cares may see some help when the territorial government unveils its annual budget later this month.

Northern Tykes executive director Lucy Gillard entertains children while waiting for lunch to be prepared. Day care workers say wages are below cost of living standards -- something Education, Culture, and Employment Minister Jake Ootes hopes to change in the upcoming territorial budget. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

Education, Culture, and Employment Minister Jake Ootes said he is heeding the call of concerned day care board members and operators, who complained to him while attending a meeting late last fall, that the government wasn't doing enough.

"I'm hoping to bring forward and get support from the MLAs during the coming session for some changes," Ootes said on Tuesday.

The legislative assembly returns to session Feb. 19.

Ootes is targeting three problematic areas for day care deliverers: Formula funding, staff training and retention, and day care board management.

The minister declined to offer specific plans, stating that proposed changes are still before cabinet.

He did say, however, that all areas affecting day cares need improvement.

"We're looking at funding formulas to see if we can't address that, and make improvements there," said Ootes. "I think there's an opportunity for us up here to take, and see if we can't help out in terms of board training."

Help welcome

In Yellowknife, day care operators and associations welcomed any help the government can give them. However, most said they're not going to hold their breath while waiting for the budget to be made public.

"There's no comfort in that until we actually see it physically happen," said Deb Archibald, vice-president of finance for the Kid's First day care board.

"We want to see an increase in operations and maintenance funding. It hasn't been increased since 1994.

"We would like to see it indexed to the cost of living."

The government currently funds Yellowknife day cares for operational costs to a rate of $7 a day for infants and toddlers, $5 for pre-schoolers, and $1.25 for after school students.

With rates like that, day care associations are saying it has been difficult to make ends meet, let alone pay staff decent wages.

"One of the fundamental problems is that our wage rates are so low," said Northern Tykes association president Kevin Brooks.

"With a starting wage of $11, it's not conducive to retaining them."

The highest wage paid at Northern Tykes goes to the director's position at $18 per hour.

"You can recruit them, but in the last two years we've seen a huge turnover in staff," said Brooks.

Charlotte Walker, a board member with Yellowknife Day Care said she welcomes any program that would help day care boards better manage their affairs.

The day care shocked parents when it announced it was closing last December.

The shut down occurred after its former president was unable to provide financial documents to potential board members.

It has since re-opened under a new board, but Walker said its members often feel overwhelmed when it comes to keeping the day care afloat.

"We need support," said Walker. "We're just parents."

Walker said board members are feeling exhausted by constant fundraising drives to keep the day care operating, on top of other day care business.

"From our experience, running a day care is the same as running a medium sized business."