History
1982
The West Nipissing Association for Community Living offers a child care service for developmentally delayed children 2 to 5 years of age. This program was based at École Secondaire Franco-Cité under the name of the Stepping Stone Program.
1988
Following recommendations from the Ministry of Community and Social Services (M.C.S.S.), the Developmental Nursery School establishes a resource program in order to facilitate the integration of children within the school system and considers various means of ensuring that children from the Stepping Stone program are integrated successfully.
The need to establish a HUB Model Child Care Centre is identified to the M.C.S.S. through the Stepping Stone Advisory Committee at the time of their license renewal.
In the meantime, the West Nipissing Public Service Association (W.N.P.S.A.) identifies the important need to establish quality child care services in the West Nipissing region and several interventions have occurred to that effect in the past.
September: The Stepping Stone Advisory Committee and the W.N.P.S.A. along with the M.C.S.S. meet to form the West Nipissing Child Care Planning Group (W.N.C.C.P.G.).
October: Sponsored by the W.N.P.S.A., this planning committee meets and develops a proposal that will be presented to the M.C.S.S. for the establishment of the HUB Model Child Care Centre.
1989
April: Under the auspices of W.N.P.S.A., the W.N.C.C.P.G. presents this proposal to the M.C.S.S.
June: Following the review of this proposal, the M.C.S.S. supports a commitment to the effect of developing a child care service as proposed by the W.N.C.C.P.G., but due to budget restraints, it is recommended that some of these services should be done by phases in Phase I & II.
Thus, the M.C.S.S. recommends that the initial proposal should be rewritten for each proposed program under the format of five proposals; priority is given to the establishment of a Francophone day care centre (Phase I).
August: The new proposal (Phase I) for the Francophone day care centre is now completed and submitted to the M.C.S.S. by the W.N.C.C.P.G.
November: The W.N.C.C.P.G. questions M.C.S.S. in regards to the delay of providing approval of the proposal for a Francophone day care.
December: A letter from M.C.S.S. on behalf of the Honorable C. Beer confirms the approval in principle for the establishment of the HUB Model Child Care Centre.
1990
April: Grand opening of the Francophone Preschool Child Care Centre, Le Carrousel at 75 Railway Street, Sturgeon Falls, sponsored by the West Nipissing Association for Community Living. It provides 24 spaces for children 18 months to 5 years of age.
June: Incorporation of the W.N.C.C. P.G. which becomes the West Nipissing Child Care Corporation (W.N.C.C.C.).
October: Letter from M.C.S.S. on behalf of the Honorable Z. Akande confirming that the HUB file is still active.
November: Approval of a lease from the Nipissing District Roman Catholic Separate School Board to establish the HUB Centre on a site at the Echo-Jeunesse School.
1991
March: Approval of the municipality of Sturgeon Falls to subsidize twelve (12) day care spaces from the W.N.C.C.C.
April: Approval of the M.C.S.S. to allow funding for the establishment of school-age programs.
May: Registration of the W.N.C.C.C. as a registered charitable organization.
June: First general meeting of the W.N.C.C.C.
September: Opening of the school-age program “Le Ballon Rouge”.
1992
October: Development of the Home-Based Child Care service sponsored by Pumpkin’s Child Care in North Bay.
Request made to the Ministry to become an approved Corporation.
December: Designation under the French Language Services Act.
A Partnership is created with the Sturgeon Falls Golden Age Club to develop a parent-child program.
1993
February: A revised copy of the proposal requesting capital funding for a HUB Model Child Care Centre was submitted.
March: News release from the Honorable Tony Silipo, Minister M.C.S.S., of an allocation of 1 million dollars under Jobs Training Funds of Ontario towards the construction of a HUB Model Child Care Centre.
April: Opening of the Parent-Child Program.
Transfer of the Stepping Stone Program from the West Nipissing Association for Community Living to the Corporation.
May: Opening of the first Home-Based Child Care home.
July: The firm Osburn Associates Architect Inc. is hired to design the Multi-Service Child Care Centre.
September: Received Approval of a Corporation Status.
Travelling Toy Lending Library Program begins.
October: Subsidized child care spaces offered by the Corporation.
Strategic planning forum held for the Corporation.
Protocol signed between Infant Development Program and Stepping Stone Program to address the needs of children at risk.
November: License obtained to operate the Home-Based Child Care services on our own.
1994
March: Tribury Construction Ltd. is chosen to build the Hub Model Child Care Centre
April: Ground Breaking Ceremony for the construction of the Multi Service Child Care Centre.
November: Interviews and hiring of new staff.
December: Ownership of new facilities. Transfer of the Toy Lending Library from the Sturgeon Falls Golden Age Club to the Corporation.
1995
January: The Centre-Based Child Care Program, is approved for 115 children.
April: Official opening.
1996
January: Development of a Networking group to assist families. This group is named “A Brighter Future for the Families of West Nipissing”.
May Parenting sessions of Active Parenting Today Canada offered by the Corporation.
1997
January: Restructuring of the Board to a governance model.
1998
April: Opening of a Centre-Based Child Care Service in Verner.
Approved capacity of 22 children.
August: Restructuring at the administration level of the Corporation.
1999
May: Partnership with the Near North District School Board to offer the Pathways program.
2000
January: Transferred from the Ministry of Community and Social Services to the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.
June: The Centre-Based Child Care Service in Verner moves to a new location. Approved capacity of 49 children.
2001
September: Partnership with the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Social Services Administration Board to offer Home-Based child care services in the Sudbury-East region.
2002
September: Two homes open in the Sudbury-East area to offer Home-Based Child Care service.
The Centre-Based service is offered at St-Joseph and La Résurrection schools for children 4 to 12 years of age.
The Corporation’s Resource Centre becomes a satellite site for the Early Years Centre.
The Corporation opens a Resource Centre in the community of Verner with financial support from the E.Y.C. O. North Bay.
2005
September: Opening of a school age program at “École publique Jeunesse Active” for children 4 to 12 years of age.
2006
September: Under the Best Start initiative, a new full day child care service “La tanière des tout-petits” opens to deliver services to children 18 to 38 months of age. This new service was created in partnership with the “Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario” and is located at “École publique Jeunesse Active” This new service has a license capacity to accommodate up to 16 children.
2007
September: Opening of the before and after school program at École Ste-Marguerite d’Youville in the Verner community.
2008
January: Approved funding for an additional Resource Teacher for the Stepping Stone program.
October: The Verner centre-based service relocates at École Ste-Marguerite d’Youville. The opening of the service took place on October 6, 2008. This full day service re-opens under the name “La ruche des petites abeilles” which originated from a partnership with the “Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord.” The service has a license capacity to accommodate up to 19 children from 15 months to school age.
2009
May: Official lauching of the Corporation’s web site: www.wnccc.ca
2010
Resource Centre is renamed Child and Family Centre
2011
February: Opening of a new full day child care service “Le service de garde des louveteaux” located at “École élémentaire catholique Saint-Joseph” created in partnership with the “Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord”. This service has a license capacity to accommodate 15 toddlers, 24 preschoolers and 60 school age children.
2012
January: Implementation of the new resource consultant model to serve all children enrolled in a licenced child care and recreational program.
The management of child care licencing and quality assurance transferred from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to the Ministry of Education.
September: Opening of an after school child care service at White Woods Public School. Another great partnership between the West Nipissing Child Care Corporation and the Near North District School Board. This service is licenced for a maximum capacity of 30 after school children.
2013
March: The District of Nipissing Social Services Board signed an agreement with the “Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario” for the project “Les écoles d’abord” to secure funding to rooms in the school for child care services at “École publique Jeunesse Active.” This agreement will expand our service “La tanière des tout-petits.”
2014
September: Opening of a new full day child care service “La niche des lionceaux” located at “École La Résurrection” in partnership with the “Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord”. This service has a license capacity to accommodate 10 toddlers, 40 preschoolers and 30 school age children.
Opening of a before and after school child care service at “École Christ-Roi. This is another great partnership between the West Nipissing Child Care Corporation and the “Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord”. This service is licenced for a maximum capacity of 30 school age children.
2015
March: Closure of the before and after school child care service at “École Christ-Roi”
July: The children attending “La tanière des tout-petits” moved into their newly constructed addition adjacent to “École publique Jeunesse Active” school.
2018
The Early ON-Child and Family program replaced the Ontario Early Years Child and Family programs. Play groups and special activities are offered to children and families ages 0 to 4, at the main site and in area schools.