Growing and Expanding

January 17, 2022

Sisters, Justine and Jade Mann, are celebrating five years in business with Little Owl Learning Centre and are have expanded their preschool to a newly renovated, 7,500 square foot facility.

“The new space will feature an indoor gross motor room, an outdoor playground, and several natural-inspired play areas for our children,” says Jade Mann, co-founder. “We are thrilled to be able to offer more spaces than our previous location. Enrolment for new families will begin February 14, 2022.”

Little Owl Learning Centre currently employs 15 staff and will be looking to hire additional ‘Early Childhood Educators’ to accommodate the growth of the operations.   

“Throughout the renovation, we collaborated with a number of local businesses to create a unique and intentional environment of our children to learn and play-in,” says Jade Mann, co-founder. “It’s incredible how supportive other local businesses are. Everyone truly just wants others to succeed and that’s really encouraging.”

Clients of Little Owl Learning Centre will find plant décor from Botanicals, painting from Contemporary Colours, toys and outdoor signage from Tiny Wooden Treasures and more at the new facility.

“We absolutely love what we do and sometimes have to pinch ourselves that we get to have this much fun at work,” says Justine Mann, co-founder, Little Owl Learning Centre. “We are so lucky to have so much community support. I can’t imagine opening a business elsewhere, Medicine Hat is a unique and special place.”

In December 2021, the Alberta Government launched new guidelines for childcare subsidy to assist with the cost of childcare for families. Funding is now available for all Alberta children under 6 years old, regardless of family income.

In addition, under the new guidelines for 2022, families can apply for added subsidy if their children (ages 0-6) attend a licensed child care program and their gross family household income is under $180,000 or they have a gross family household income under $90,000 and their children are Kindergarten age (enrolled in a full time Kindergarten program) to Grades 1 to 6.

The minimum amount each child is eligible to receive is $450.00 per month for full time care.

Additional levels of subsidy range from $266 a month for the lowest-income families to $106 for families making from $175,000 to $180,000. Eligible families can now apply for child care subsidy at https://applychildcaresubsidy.alberta.ca/. 

Little Owl Learning Centre is located at 101 6th Street SE, Medicine Hat and can be found online at www.littleowllearningcentre.ca .