Parents in Gravenhurst are devastated following the news that the District of Muskoka is halting their funding agreement with the Muskoka Lakeland Childcare centre, resulting in the upcoming closure of the facility on April 14, 2026.
“My first thought was ‘Where is my child going to go when I need to clock in for work?’,” said Hannah Tunget, a registered nurse who does private care work within the region.
Tunget said that her and her husband – who works 12 hour days in the construction industry – were lucky to get a space for their son at Muskoka Lakeland last August despite the long waitlists for daycares across Muskoka.
“The waitlists for some daycares up here are over two years. My sister-in-law went on the waitlist for a daycare while still at the hospital after having her second child.”
Tunget said that Muskoka Lakeland has been a huge part of her son’s life since he joined the daycare.
“The daycare has been fantastic. My son has learned so much. He is always talking about his friends and the teachers, and he likes to sing the songs he’s learned. They were crucial in potty training as well. My heart is going to break when it’s his last day there.”
Michelle Priore, owner and director of Muskoka Lakeland Childcare, said that she was shocked to learn that the funding agreement with the District was coming to an end.
“I thought things were going really well, so when I received that letter I was in disbelief,” Priore said.
“We’ve been working diligently with the District to meet deadlines and what not. We have had a stipulation for funding that we have a certain timeframe to respond and get reports in and we have exceeded their expectations thus far.”
Priore said that her main concern right now is the effect that the closure of her daycare will have on the community.
“This will affect not only me, but my staff, the parents, and the entire community. In Gravenhurst, there is a real need for this funding. The $20-a-day daycare parents are having a hard time as is, so having the funding and having the subsidies for parents is extremely important.”
When asked about the reason for ending the funding agreement with Muskoka Lakeland Childcare, the District of Muskoka said that they are unable to give specific details at this time in order to respect the confidentiality of their service agreement.
“We acknowledge the decision has placed families in a difficult situation, and we are committed to assisting the families in finding alternate arrangements during the 30-day notice period given to the childcare provider,” the District said.
“Our focus remains on ensuring continuity of care and supporting the families through this transition.”
