Chatham-Kent council has approved funding to expand affordable daycare spaces in Thamesville.
Approved through the consent agenda, council authorized up to $400,000 through reserve funds to fund an expansion at Good Shepherd Catholic School and up to $50,000 for supplies and learning materials for the Thamesville childcare centre.
The decision comes after administration was notified in November 2025 that a planned expansion at St. Francis School was no longer feasible for 2026. The St. Francis project was expected to create 33 new spaces, meaning Chatham-Kent would have fallen short of its provincially assigned childcare expansion target without a replacement project.
In a report to council, administration said the Good Shepherd location was selected because it is “located within a childcare desert and already has a licensed childcare operator within the school making the project highly suitable for expansion.”
The expansion is expected to create affordable childcare access for 24 families by January 2027.