New early childcare centre in Markstay-Warren is opening its doors

New early childcare centre in Markstay-Warren is opening its doors

On October 22, 2025, the Carrefour francophone de Sudbury and the Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord were proud to announce the creation of a new early childcare centre in Markstay-Warren. Located within the Camille-Perron Public School in Markstay, the centre was scheduled to welcome its first group of children aged 0 to 4 in 2026.

One year later, we are pleased to announce that this project is becoming a reality: the early childcare centre will open its doors on October 26, 2026, and will be ready to welcome its first group of children. Registration will begin shortly. Families will be contacted on a rolling basis, in the order of the waiting list and in accordance with current policies and guidelines.

This significant educational milestone in East Sudbury is the result of a collaboration between the Carrefour francophone, the Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord (CSGN), the Municipality of Markstay-Warren, and the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (MSDSB).

This is the 12th early childcare centre established by the Carrefour francophone since 2005. The initiative addresses a pressing need in this region, which previously had no early childcare services, and it rounds out the continuum of French-language educational services. This early childcare centre complements the CSGN’s Place des jeunes program for children ages 4 to 12 at Camille-Perron School in Markstay.

Following a call to the community to suggest names for the new centre, nearly sixty proposals were received and reviewed. We are pleased to announce today that the centre now has a name: Forêt des tout-petits!

Why “Forêt des tout-petits”?

The forest symbolizes a living environment where everything is interconnected, just like the children, families, educators, and the Markstay community, who grow together in a spirit of solidarity and belonging.

It also represents the journey of childhood: a path of discovery, learning, and growth, where each child develops at their own pace in a stimulating environment.

The name “Forêt des tout-petits” also takes on its full meaning within the context of our nature-based programming. With the opening of the Markstay childcare centre, this approach will be fully realized on a daily basis, offering children the opportunity to explore, play, learn, and grow through contact with nature and the outdoors.

Deeply rooted in the identity of Northern Ontario and Franco-Ontarian communities, the name reflects a sense of belonging to the Markstay community, which is also deeply embedded in the world of traditional folktales.

And in the face of climate change, the forest also represents a haven, a shelter, and a vital protective canopy for the future and for humanity. Originally viewed at the time of Markstay’s founding as an untapped, exploitable resource, the forest today reveals greater complexity and a new richness. Recent scientific observations have discovered that trees send messages. Researchers are studying their olfactory languages and their networks of underground connections.

Today, a forest is an invitation to take a closer look at what is invisible to the eye, and a mysterious playground.

Taylor particularly enjoys supporting children in their daily lives, watching them learn, grow, and develop their personalities. In her free time, she enjoys playing various sports, spending time outdoors, and going camping. She is therefore a natural fit for the spirit of Forêt des tout-petits and the emphasis placed on nature and the outdoors in our programming.

She is very happy to be part of this new adventure and looks forward to creating wonderful experiences and memories with the children at the centre in Markstay.

A celebration to come!

We are pleased to announce that following the opening of the new Markstay Early Childhood Centre (CPE) on October 26, 2026, an open house awaits you!

To mark the grand opening of the Forêt des tout-petits centre, an open house is scheduled for November 12th 2026 from 5 to 7 p.m. at École publique Camille-Perron (13 Church Street, Markstay). This will be an opportunity to bring the community together and celebrate this important milestone at the Carrefour francophone.