Tashi Farmilo
Published online November 19, 2025, at www.pontiacjournal.com.
SHAWVILLE – After years of delays and community advocacy, construction has officially begun on a new daycare in Shawville, addressing one of the region’s most urgent and long-standing needs for early childhood services.
The project, located at the corner of Isabella Avenue and Clarendon Street, will be operated by CPE 1-2-3 Picabou and is expected to open in September 2026. The facility will include 60 spaces, 10 of which are reserved for infants, in a region where families have faced lengthy wait lists for childcare and limited access to infant care.
The initiative, first proposed nearly three years ago, has navigated a complex path to groundbreaking. After an initial call for tenders was rejected due to high costs, and a second attempt to procure a modular unit failed to advance, a third call focused on local contractors ultimately succeeded. Gatineau-based firm Defran was awarded the contract.
Site preparation began in early November, with tree clearing and excavation for the foundation now underway. The municipality has already installed water and sewer infrastructure, which will be connected in the spring. Construction is expected to continue through the winter.
“This project is badly needed and will provide essential jobs in town,” said Mayor Bill McCleary, who confirmed the new centre is expected to be nearly full from day one, primarily with children already on wait lists.
Pontiac MNA André Fortin, who has championed the project since its inception, highlighted its broader social and economic significance.
“When parents can’t return to work, and employers are forced to go without staff, it affects both the regional economy and the financial security of local families. This project delivers on a commitment I made during the last election and responds to a concern many parents have raised with me directly,” he said.
Photo: Construction is officially underway on a long-awaited 60-space daycare in Shawville. (BZ)