What's actually there
The early learning centre sits on the first floor of the Perley Centre, across from the pharmacy, with only a courtyard separating it from the residence itself. It's run in partnership with Andrew Fleck Children's Services and opened its doors to families in July 2026. The City of Ottawa has licensed the space for 49 childcare spots, covering kids from infancy through kindergarten age.
A grand opening celebration was held on September 16, 2026, and it included a symbolic touch: Perley Health resident Roland Lalonde took part in a "ribbon-joining" with the children, instead of a standard ribbon-cutting, marking the two generations coming together under one program.
Why a care home needed a daycare
Perley Health's campus is home to more than 600 residents and tenants, and the idea behind the centre is to build regular contact between those residents and young children, rather than treating the two groups as separate worlds that happen to share a property line. The courtyard layout keeps the daycare close enough for that interaction to happen often, while still giving each group its own dedicated space.
There's also a practical staffing angle. Perley Health employees get priority access to spots in the centre, and they pay a reduced $10-a-day rate through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System. For a care home competing for workers in a tight labour market, on-site, affordable childcare is a direct benefit to staff recruitment and retention, not just a nice-to-have for families.
The money behind it
The program isn't fully funded yet. Perley Health's foundation has launched the "Bridging Generations" fundraising campaign, with a goal of raising $2 million to support the intergenerational model long-term. That campaign is being led by the Perley Health Foundation, and it's separate from the City-approved licensing that got the centre open in the first place.
Why it matters for Ottawa
For a city with an aging population and a long-term care sector often discussed only in terms of capacity and wait times, a project that puts children inside a care home campus is also a different way of thinking about what those campuses are for.
For now, the centre is open and running, the ribbon-joining has happened, and the fundraising push is ongoing.
Sources: Ottawa Life Magazine
