Effort to Reverse Canmore Child Minding Closure Defeated

CANMORE - A final attempt to preserve the child minding service at Elevation Place failed on November 20th after a split Finance Committee vote that ended months of public pressure, data scrutiny, and emotional appeals from parents. The motion, brought forward by Councillor Rob Murray, sought to maintain 2025 service levels and direct administration to continue the program next year at an estimated net cost of $55,000.

The motion was defeated four to three. Mayor Sean Krausert and Councillors Wade Graham, Jeff Hilstad, and Jeff Mah voted against it. Councillors Tanya Foubert, Jen Marran, and Murray voted in favor.

The meeting marked the final procedural window to reverse an earlier decision to eliminate the drop-in childminding program at the end of 2025. For parents who relied on the service and had spent weeks lobbying councillors to reconsider, the vote represented a definitive end.

A debate shaped by cost, declining use, and jurisdiction

Town staff opened the discussion by outlining the financial and operational pressures that drove the earlier decision to close the program. Service usage has dropped by half compared to a decade ago, even as the community has grown. Staff recruitment and retention have been persistent challenges. The required subsidy has increased year over year.

“There are hard decisions to make sometimes and I wish there was a viable option to move forward with this one,” Councillor Graham said. “This one is not financially viable as we have been doing it.”

Graham added that the town had already spent two years trying to “tweak the model” without success. “Usage is way down,” he said. “Staffing them is hard. There are opportunities for the space to do other things. We are not in the daycare business. The daycare business is a provincial issue.”

Mayor Krausert echoed that point, noting that the program was never intended to function as regulated childcare. “This was not daycare. It never was daycare and it should not be considered daycare,” he said during the discussion. He pointed to declining participation, rising subsidization, and continued staffing challenges. “The service is not sustainable and increasingly not sustainable.”

Staff told councillors that in 2025 the program was projected to generate $12,000 in revenue while costing more than $60,000 in staffing alone. The $55,000 subsidy does not include lifecycle maintenance or other facility expenses.

Usage patterns, they added, had shifted. The service operated a similar number of hours over the past decade, but visits declined significantly. During the past two summers, staff repurposed the space for half day camps for three and four year olds because the child minding room was underused.

Councillors in support cite strategic priorities and community needs

Councillor Murray acknowledged that bringing the item back to committee was unusual given that the closure had already been approved almost a year ago. He argued that the decision did not align with council’s stated priorities around attracting and retaining families, supporting community diversity, and increasing affordability.

“There is an identified need in this community around lack of child care spaces,” Murray said. He maintained that short-term child minding still filled a distinct gap, even if the service differed from full daycare.

Councillor Foubert agreed. “I recognize that this child minding service is very different than daycare,” she said, “which is one of the reasons I support this motion because there are daycare options, although they are difficult to find, and I think this fills a different type of child minding service that is not provided by others.”

Councillor Marran also supported continuing the program, emphasizing the role it played for parents seeking access to fitness and recreation. She referenced resident emails from retirees offering to volunteer, and said the program’s history demonstrated value.

Community reactions shaped the lead-up

Public concern over the closure has been intensifying for weeks. In earlier reporting by Bow Valley Insider, parents described the program as “invaluable” and “a lifeline” in a town where daycare spots are scarce and waitlists long.

Parents who spoke to Bow Valley Insider earlier this month said the program was essential for fitness access, mental health, social connection, and providing a safe place for children as young as six months old. Some said they only learned of the impending closure through staff rather than public consultation or official notices.

“I used it two to three times per week for two hours,” said Olga Nikolenko in the earlier story. “My son always loved being there. It helped me swim, visit the library, and gave me quiet time to work on my English.”

Another parent, Erin Woodrow, said, “Without it, Elevation Place becomes largely inaccessible to me.”

Councillors acknowledged that public feedback had been heartfelt. During the Finance Committee meeting, several referenced emails from parents who said the program kept them active, grounded, and connected.

“It pulls at your heart,” Mayor Krausert said while reflecting on those messages. “It is something you want to be able to help with.”

A motion that could not overcome a year of data

Staff reiterated that previous attempts to modify the program had not produced the required turnaround. Recruitment remains difficult. Revenue continues to decline. And provincial regulations prevent local childcare providers from taking over the space.

“We explored the option with Canmore Community Childcare,” staff said. “Given the provincial requirements they are obligated to meet, the space is really too small for them to use effectively.”

Councillors opposing the motion emphasized the need to evaluate trade-offs.

“When you say yes to one thing, you say no to another,” Councillor Graham said. “I cannot see continuing along the same path.”

What happens next

With the motion defeated, the child minding service will close at the end of December. According to the town, the space will continue to be used for day camps during the summer and will be available for public rental during the rest of the year.