Carl Hager
Published online August 12, 2026, at www.pontiacjournal.com
SHAWVILLE – Construction is underway on a new $3-million non-profit 1-2-3 Picabou Child Care Centre in Shawville, adding 60 licensed childcare spaces to the community.
Located at the corner of Clarendon and Isabelle streets beside Mill Dam Park, the facility is expected to open in approximately one year. Officials and daycare representatives gathered July 15 to mark the start of construction. Funded by the Quebec government, the centre will accommodate children from infancy to age five, including 10 infant spaces, and employ approximately 12 early childhood educators and support staff.
Carolle St-Arnaud, director general of the Picabou childcare network, said the location will provide opportunities for outdoor learning and recreation at nearby Mill Dam Park.
“We anticipate many employees from the hospital and local schools will benefit from this new daycare,” St-Arnaud said.
The centre will operate under Quebec’s subsidized childcare program, with spaces costing approximately $10 per day. It will become Picabou’s fourth location, joining
centres in Campbell’s Bay, Mansfield and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes.
Photo: Officials and daycare representatives gathered July 15 to mark the start of the project.