Horizon Health launches child-care project to help retain N.B. health-care workers

New Brunswick's Horizon Health Network is launching a child-care pilot program in an effort to retain more health-care workers.

Horizon is working with the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation and the Chalmers Foundation on the project. In both Saint John and Fredericton, Horizon said there will be 51 net new child-care spaces for permanent full-time and part-time employees and physicians.

"Horizon employees and physicians have told us that the need for increased, reliable access to childcare is crucial to their work experience," said Margaret Melanson, Horizon Health Network president and CEO in a news release.

Horizon said child care will be available for infants to five year olds who have not started school. There will also be 12 flex-time spaces available in each community between 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.

More than 600 staff and physicians were surveyed ahead of this pilot project, with 78.5 per cent saying they would use a new child-care program near a Horizon facility. Approximately 35.7 per cent said they needed child care until 8 p.m. in order to accommodate their shifts, according to Horizon.

"This pilot program is a progressive example of how we can apply innovative and practical ways to support our health care workers, who do so much to take care of New Brunswickers every day," said Chalmers Foundation CEO Charles A. Diab.

The new spaces will be available at Origins Natural Learning Childcare in Saint John and Go-Go Group Inc. in Fredericton.

Horizon said child-care funding normally subsidized by the government will be covered by an endowment fund, with $2 million allocated to each community. Horizon employee parents will pay the remaining fees for the spaces.

It said eligible employees will be able to apply for spaces beginning Tuesday, Sept. 3. Services in Saint John will be available beginning in the fall, while the Fredericton spaces won't be available until the winter of 2025.

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