Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak again about the need for daycare spaces in NWT communities. Being able to take care of their young children is an essential and basic need of families and communities. This government has been proactive in providing funding for child support, but funding alone doesn't do much good if there are no physical spaces and facilities to provide childcare in.
Many people would like to create daycare spaces in their homes, but the code requirements for safe childcare can make that unaffordable or simply impractical. Most people can't afford the cost of home renovations to bring their home up to the required code. We just experienced that when my colleagues and I made a request for one-time funding of $37,000 to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to upgrade the Yellowknife Women's Society home office to be converted into a daycare, and I want to say thank you to the Minister for making that happen.
That's on the day home side. In the case of licensed daycares, the Yellowknife Daycare that opened just over two years ago already has 170 kids on its waiting list. If parents and families of those children cannot find safe and secure daycare spaces, they can be compromised in finding work, creating income, and realizing their goals as families, and unable to contribute to the community and help support the economy.
So, Mr. Speaker, I believe the government must step up and make it a standing policy to create the infrastructure for the care of our youngest citizens. Spaces for our newborn to three-year-olds must be included as part of our long-term infrastructure acquisition planning.
I believe it's crucial that, whenever territorial schools are built or renovated, part of the design must include daycare spaces. This is an essential need for any community in the territory.
The demand for daycare spaces is high, and it's not going away anytime soon. Many of our goals as families and communities depend on Northerners being able to work. That requires a safe and secure caring environment for their young children.
Mr. Speaker, daycare infrastructure should be a priority in our communities and needs to be a priority of future Assemblies going forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.