NORTH PRESTON: Children in North Preston will have a more comfortable and energy-efficient place to learn and flourish, with support from the province.
Twila Grosse, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and MLA for Preston, announced funding October 13, on behalf of Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to help the North Preston Day Care Centre switch from oil heat to an energy-efficient electric heat pump system.
The project also includes planning for other upgrades to the building, which could include solar panels, new insulation, windows and doors, and energy-efficient light fixtures.
“This daycare means so much to North Preston, and this funding will help make sure it remains that way for years to come,” said Minister Grosse. “Investing in the North Preston Day Care Centre is an investment in the future of this historic African Nova Scotian community.
“We are helping strengthen an important community space so it can continue to provide a safe, comfortable and welcoming place to learn, grow and thrive for the next generations.”
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The child-care centre, which opened 54 years ago, is currently heated by an oil-fired boiler and has baseboard radiators from the 1970s.
The North Preston Medical Society, which helps run the child-care centre, received $100,000 from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund.
Quotes:
“This funding will help level the playing field in early childhood education and equip our children for the future. It means retrofitting a 75-year-old building to meet and accommodate future educational and social needs.”
— Wayne Desmond, President, North Preston Medical Society
“The North Preston Day Care Centre means providing quality care, love, education and support to families. I am very proud and excited to have grown up in the largest Indigenous Black community in Canada. As the centre’s fifth director, I am truly honoured to help carry on our legacy through this retrofit project.”
— Evetta Thomas, Executive Director, North Preston Day Care Centre
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“This project demonstrates how climate action can deliver meaningful benefits for Nova Scotians while improving the long-term performance of existing buildings.
“Through support from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, these construction drawings will help advance a deep retrofit of the daycare, creating a pathway toward a more energy-efficient and resilient facility that serves Canada’s largest Black community.”
— Juanita Spencer, CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
Quick Facts:
– the North Preston Medical Society also received $75,000 in 2025 for the design and planning of this retrofit from the Department’s Low Carbon Communities program
– the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund was created in 2021 as part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, a legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate change, transform how Nova Scotians produce and use energy, make homes and buildings energy efficient, and more
– since launching, the fund has announced about $16.6 million for projects that help Nova Scotians respond to climate change
– the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities was selected through a request for proposals process to administer the program on behalf of the government
