Haliburton County has only two licensed childcare centers in the County – one in Minden, and the other in Haliburton, so for parents in need of finding reliable childcare face an incredibly difficult ordeal. Parents of young children here must endure years-long wait lists or turn to grandparents, neighbors and friends to fill in as caretakers for their children.

With 260 children on waitlists that stretch on for an average four years, the prospect of finding quality childcare in Haliburton County is bleak, forcing many young families to move out of the region, in search of employment, more affordable housing and better access to childcare.

In part one of the a four part series about the childcare shortage, CanoeFM spoke with two mothers who know exactly how hard it is to secure childcare for their kids. Each say it’s a situation that needs to be solved or local communities will continue to lose young families.