Collectivité

Campus Day Care Cooperative (University of Saskatchewan)

On 29 May 1975, a group of University personnel and students met to discuss the feasibility of building a day care facility on the University campus. They presented a proposal to construct a 3,000-square foot building on a 1.3 acre site east of the farm residences; it was estimated that the building could provide daycare services for approximately 52 children, at a capital cost of $289,000. The proposal was accepted by the Board of Governors, but was not initially accepted by the Universities Commission; although the Commission eventually lent their support as well. However, the provincial Treasury Board refused to provide capital funding, arguing that such a facility would establish an unwelcome precedent for other government or public employees. Although the Cooperative documented similar facilities at other universities and noted that the day care was intended to benefit students as well as employees, the government did not accept their arguments.