DAY CARE PILOT PROJECT 2026

Pilot Financing Program – Daycare Safety 2026

Greater Montreal Area | Quebec | Ontario (GTA)

A supportive initiative to protect children without placing a financial burden on daycares

Children’s safety should never depend on a daycare’s financial capacity.

Yet, in the absence of public funding programs adapted to existing daycare facilities, many operators are left to face serious and urgent safety challenges on their own.

It is within this context that Bollard Canada Inc. is launching a pilot, solidarity-based financing program aimed at supporting eligible daycares with critical safety needs but limited financial resources.

This initiative seeks to remove the financial barriers that too often prevent daycares from implementing essential preventive safety measures—particularly for the protection of building entrances, frontages, and outdoor play areas.

Following the tragedy in Laval, Québec, where two innocent children lost their lives, as well as the tragic incident in Richmond Hill, Ontario, where an 18-month-old child lost their life and several others were injured, the need for physical protection measures became undeniably clear.

Despite the urgency of these events, no public funding program was made available to assist affected daycare facilities in implementing immediate protective solutions.

In response, Bollard Canada Inc. independently stepped forward, designing and installing safety solutions for two daycare facilities without government funding, public assistance, or official recognition. This action was driven solely by a commitment to child safety and community responsibility.

This pilot program reflects Bollard Canada’s belief that prevention should never be delayed by financial limitations. By offering accessible financing and targeted support, Bollard Canada aims to help protect children, staff, and families—when help is needed most.

Please see how Bollard Canada stepped in to help daycares following these tragic events

Laval 2023

Richmond Hill 2025

An approach focused on support and fairness

The program is based on a simple principle:

👉 Enable daycares to act now, while respecting their financial reality.

The objective is not commercial, but preventive and responsible—to help childcare facilities improve safety without placing them in financial difficulty.

✅Financial terms of the pilot program

To ensure a clear and fair framework, the following conditions apply:

An initial deposit is required prior to the start of work
This deposit is used to:
cover applicable federal and provincial taxe
pay a portion of the installation and mobilization costs.
The remaining balance is financed as follows:
0 to 6 months: interest-free financing (0%)
6 to 12 months: financing at an interest rate of 4%
Payment schedules may be adjusted based on the daycare’s actual ability to pay, within the pilot program framework.

✅Eligibility and important conditions

This program is available only to eligible daycares, subject to specific conditions:

This program is available only to eligible daycares, subject to specific conditions:
The daycare must meet the eligibility criteria established by Bollard Canada Inc
Each application is reviewed through an individual assessment, considering:
site risk level;
surrounding environment (street, parking, traffic);
the daycare’s financial situation.
👉 Tenant daycares:
If the daycare operates in leased premises, written approval from the property owner is mandatory prior to installation.
Only daycares meeting all eligibility requirements will be accepted into the program.

✅A human-centered pilot project

This program is offered as a pilot initiative in the Greater Montreal area, Quebec, and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
It is intended as a practical and transitional solution while awaiting the implementation of public funding mechanisms adapted to existing daycare facilities.

Through this initiative, Bollard Canada aims to:

support daycares in need;
actively contribute to child safety;
encourage broader reflection on public responsibility in prevention and infrastructure safety.

✅ Eligibility Criteria – Summary

(Pilot Financing Program – 2026)

The pilot program is offered exclusively to eligible daycares, subject to the following criteria:

Legally operating and licensed daycare facility
Located in the Greater Montreal Area, Quebec, or the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Demonstrated vehicular risk exposure (adjacent roadway, parking lot, drop-off zone)
Documented need for physical safety measures
Financial capacity assessed to tailor payment terms
Acceptance of all pilot program conditions (deposit, financing, ownership terms)
👉 Tenant facilities:
Written authorization from the property owner is mandatory.

⚖️ LEGAL CLAUSE – PILOT FINANCING PROGRAM

1. Nature and Purpose of the Program

This program is offered by Bollard Canada Inc. as a pilot financing initiative for the year 2026, on a voluntary, limited, and experimental basis.

The purpose of the program is to:

assess market interest;
evaluate technical and financial viability;
support eligible daycares in implementing safety measures in the absence of public funding for existing facilities.

This program does not constitute a permanent financing offer, nor does it create any obligation of continuation or renewal.

3. Site Assessment and Approval

All projects are subject to a mandatory site assessment, including

technical feasibility;
vehicular risk exposure;
environmental and layout constraints;
financial capacity of the daycare.

Bollard Canada Inc. reserves the right to refuse or cancel a project if the assessment identifies:

an incompatible or excessive risk level;
technical, legal, or access limitations;
insufficient financial capacity.

2. Eligibility and Selection

Participation in the program is limited to eligible daycare facilities, subject to compliance with all criteria established by Bollard Canada Inc.

Eligibility is:

assessed case by case;
granted at the sole discretion of Bollard Canada Inc.;
not guaranteed, even where an application is complete

No participation is confirmed until a written agreement is executed.

4. Deposit and Financing Terms

Before any work begins:

A mandatory initial deposit is required.
The deposit is used to:
cover applicable federal and provincial taxes;
pay a portion of installation and mobilization costs.

The remaining balance is financed as follows:

0 to 6 months: interest-free financing (0%)
6 to 12 months: financing at 4% annual interest

Late payments may result in:

termination of the financing arrangement;
immediate acceleration of the outstanding balance;
administrative or recovery fees

5. Daycares – Owner Authorization

Where the daycare operates in leased premises:

written authorization from the property owner is mandatory;
the authorization must allow installation, retention, and potential removal of equipment.
Failure to provide valid authorization renders the application automatically inadmissible.

6. Program Limitation

No commitment is valid without a signed written agreement

The pilot program is limited to a maximum of 20 daycares for 2026.
Participation does not create any vested rights or entitlement to future programs.
The program may be modified, suspended, or terminated at any time.

Applicable law:

Province of Quebec for projects in Quebec;
Province of Ontario for projects in Ontario.

Important Notice - General Program Information

These terms are provided for informational purposes only and are intended to ensure clear understanding, risk transparency, and general legal guidance regarding the program.
They represent basic program terms to help applicants understand the overall framework.

If an application is accepted, a separate, formal written contract will be issued.
Only the terms and conditions set out in that executed contract shall be legally binding and govern the relationship between the parties.

❓ FAQ – Bollards & Safety Solutions

1. What is the primary role of bollards at a daycare?

Bollards protect children, staff, and buildings by creating a physical barrier between vehicles and sensitive areas such as entrances, playgrounds, and outdoor circulation zones.

2. What is the difference between minimal protection bollards and anti-ram bollards?

Preventive / minimal protection bollards

Designed to prevent low-speed, accidental vehicle intrusions

Used in low to moderate traffic environments

Highly visible and well-suited to daycare settings

Most common solution for childcare facilities

Anti-ram bollards (high-resistance)

Designed to resist high-energy vehicle impacts

Used when traffic density or speed is high around the daycare

Typically recommended near:

Major roadways;

Dense urban corridors;

High-volume parking areas

3. Do all daycares need anti-ram bollards?

No.

Most daycares require preventive or intermediate protection.

The appropriate solution depends on traffic volume, vehicle speed, site layout, and overall risk exposure.

4. Does the pilot program cover anti-ram bollards?

Yes, when a site risk analysis demonstrates a genuine need.

5. Do the bollards become the property of the daycare?

No.

All bollards remain the property of Bollard Canada Inc. until full payment is completed.

6. What if the daycare is a tenant?

Installation is permitted only with written authorization from the building owner.

7. How is the type of bollard determined?

Through a site risk assessment evaluating traffic density, vehicle speed, layout, and environmental constraints.

8. Why is the program limited?

The program is offered as a 2026 pilot, limited to 20 daycares, in order to:

Test interest and adoption;

Evaluate financial and operational viability;

Refine eligibility criteria and financing terms.

If the pilot receives strong participation, it may serve as the foundation for a broader provincial and national rollout, helping protect additional daycare facilities across Canada.