POMQUET: Families in Antigonish County will soon have greater access to French-language early learning and childcare with the development of a new centre set to open next spring at École acadienne de Pomquet.
Announced on June 23, the provincial and federal governments are investing $3.5 million into the project, which will create 40 new spaces for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The centre will be operated by the Centre d’appui à la petite enfance de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CAPENÉ), in partnership with the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.
“The demand for childcare spaces in Antigonish continues to grow,” Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Brendan Maguire said. “This expansion responds to long-standing challenges faced by local families, who have had limited access to francophone childcare in their community.”
The new centre is part of a broader effort to expand accessible, affordable early childhood education across Nova Scotia. To date, nearly 7,000 new child-care spaces have been created province-wide since 2021.
For Antigonish’s Acadian and francophone families, this centre represents more than just infrastructure – it’s an investment in culture, language, and community.
“Childcare has a profound influence on children’s overall development, including their language skills and identity,” Jaime Battiste, MP for Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish said. “This investment will help francophone families in Antigonish save thousands of dollars every year on quality childcare.”
Suzanne Saulnier, executive director of CAPENÉ, said the new centre is “long overdue” and the result of years of collaboration and dedication.
“We have built a collaborative relationship that allows us to move forward from a dream to reality,” Saulnier said. “CAPENÉ looks forward to providing French, high-quality, inclusive, affordable, and accessible early learning and childcare to the youngest citizens of this beautiful Acadian community.”
This will be the third centre operated by CAPENÉ and the 13th project announced under the province’s major childcare infrastructure program. The funding is supported through a renewed five-year agreement between Canada and Nova Scotia, valued at more than $1 billion.
Construction of the new facility is expected to begin later this year, with a target opening in spring 2026.