Nova Scotia is pledging to create 15-hundred new licensed early learning and child-care spaces by the end of the year.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan says the new spots will be opened across the province, including in communities where licensed child care has been unavailable.

Under the province’s 605-million dollar multi-year deal with Ottawa, a total of 95-hundred daycare spaces, costing parents an average 10 dollars a day, are to be created by March 2026.

The province has been dealing with a shortage of early childhood educators, but Druhan says she believes there will be enough available to staff the announced expansion of spaces.

 

Nova Scotia is providing one million in funding for accessibility upgrades at 43 community facilities across the province.

The money is from the Community ACCESS-Ability Program and helps fund capital improvements at not-for-profit facilities.

Examples of projects at some facilities include the installation of lifts, walkway paving and washroom upgrades.

Researchers say the prevalence of ticks that can carry Lyme disease is expected to be higher than ever this year.

 

Vett Lloyd, a researcher at New Brunswick’s Mount Allison University, says it’s likely that as climate change continues, each tick season will be worse than the last.

Ticks can be found across Canada, but Ontario has the highest reported number, with Nova Scotia in second place.

People spending time outdoors near long grass should wear pants tucked into socks, use insect repellent and check themselves thoroughly for ticks when they come inside.

 

New Brunswick’s health minister has announced the first suspected case of monkeypox in the Maritimes.

Dorothy Shephard made the announcement at the legislature during Question Period Wednesday morning.

Shephard says the suspected case was first reported early last month and a sample has been sent to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg for testing.

She says she can’t provide any details about the person involved or even where it was reported.

 

Gas prices are up in New Brunswick, while diesel prices in the province have dropped a bit.

The maximum price for regular self-serve gas in New Brunswick is now 211.3 cents per litre, which is an increase of 3.3 cents per litre.

Diesel prices in New Brunswick fell by seven-tenths of a cent to 214.5 cents per litre. Nova Scotia sets its fuel prices at midnight tonight.