The City of Port Colborne is working with Niagara Region and the YMCA of Niagara to expand access to affordable, high-quality licensed child care for local families.
The partnership will transform the former Visitor Information Centre at 76 Main Street West into a modern, inclusive child care centre operated by the YMCA of Niagara. The project will create additional licensed spaces to help meet the growing demand for child care in Port Colborne.
A New Licensed Child Care Centre
Approved by City Council in November 2025, the project will renovate and repurpose the existing building into a welcoming, purpose-built space for children and families.
The design will preserve the heritage and character of the building while meeting the needs of a fully licensed child care facility. The historic portion will also be available for community use outside regular child care hours.
Investing in Local Families
Access to reliable, affordable child care supports children's early development, helps parents balance work and family responsibilities and strengthens the local workforce.
The $2.75 million project is supported by federal and provincial funding through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program and aligns with Niagara Region's Early Learning and Child Care Directed Growth Plan.
The project is funded through federal and provincial governments’ investments in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program and is aligned with Niagara Region’s Early Learning and Child Care Directed Growth Plan, with the YMCA of Niagara serving as the facility’s operator. The Region has approved $2 million in Early Learning and Child Care infrastructure funding and $441,000 in start-up funding, supporting the creation of high-quality, inclusive licensed child care spaces.
Construction and Project Updates
Construction began in November 2025, with the project scheduled for completion by December 2026 to meet provincial funding requirements.
Visit the Child Care Centre Construction Project page for construction updates, project milestones and progress on the new facility.