Bellinzona: signature collection launched for public daycare centres (cross-border guide)

Context

TL;DR

• Bellinzona rejects public nursery proposal, initiative launched
• 10 associations operate nurseries, only 260 spots for 1,000 children
• Initiative aims for public nursery to reduce costs, 3,000 signatures needed by mid-July 2026
• Current fees: 1,200-1,400 francs/month, public nursery could lower costs

Key facts

• Data: 14 April 2026
• Luogo: Bellinzona, Svizzera
• Promotori: Partito Socialista, Forum Alternativo, Verdi, Più Donne, Avanti, Noce, Partito Comunista
• Obiettivo: Creare un asilo nido pubblico per aumentare i posti disponibili e ridurre i costi per le famiglie
• Posti disponibili: 260 posti per oltre 1,000 bambini di età compresa tra 0 e 3 anni
• Costo attuale: 1,200-1,400 franchi svizzeri al mese per un posto a tempo pieno
• Scadenza firme: 14 ottobre 2026
• Firme richieste: 3,000 firme valide

On Tuesday, 14 April 2026, the Bellinzona municipal council rejected a proposal to establish a public nursery in the city. However, within hours, a campaign to collect signatures for a municipal popular initiative was launched. The project is led by the Socialist Party, the Alternative Forum, the Greens, Più Donne, Avanti, Noce, and the Communist Party. The goal is clear: to create a public facility to increase available spots and reduce costs for families.

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Operational details

How many cross-border workers are involved?

Official data do not specify how many cross-border workers living in Bellinzona or nearby municipalities currently use local daycare services. However, work-life balance is a critical issue for this group, which often faces long waiting lists or high costs for childcare services. According to the promoting associations, the lack of a public alternative forces many families to give up employment or opt for informal solutions, with repercussions on the Ticino labour market.

'The absence of affordable public childcare disproportionately affects low-income families and workers with young children,' explained Maura Nembrini Mossi from Più Donne.

Before vs after: what changes for families

Currently, families seeking a daycare spot must register with multiple associations to increase their chances of securing a place, creating artificial waiting lists because spots are not actually available. With the initiative, the aim is to eliminate this mechanism, ensuring transparent allocation processes and fairer fees. The municipality, however, proposes a centralized registration system for private associations, without intervening on fees.

📊 Key differences:

• Current system: Families must register with multiple private associations, leading to inflated waiting lists and no guarantee of a spot.
• Initiative proposal: A single, transparent system with public oversight to ensure fair and equitable access.
• Municipal proposal: Centralized registration for private associations, but no changes to fees.

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Key points

How to support the signature collection

Those wishing to back the More public daycare centres initiative can visit the collection points organised by the supporting parties, including the Socialist Party headquarters in Bellinzona, the Verdi Circle at via San Gottardo, and the Più Donne premises on via Nassa. Signatures can also be collected online via the official website of the organising committee, where an updated list of collection points will be published.

What happens after the signature collection?

Once the required number of signatures is reached, the initiative will be submitted to the Bellinzona Town Hall. The municipal council will then have two months to decide: it may accept the initiative, reject it, or propose a countermeasure. If accepted, a feasibility study will be carried out to identify the location and funding for the new public daycare centre.

For cross-border workers: what to check now

If you are a cross-border worker living in Bellinzona or the surrounding area and have preschool-age children, it is worth:

• Checking the enrolment requirements at current private associations, as the new municipal platform will only become operational once the project is approved;
• Considering the alternatives available in nearby municipalities, where public daycare centres may offer more advantageous conditions;
• Monitoring the progress of the initiative on the Bellinzona Town Hall website or the channels of the supporting parties to find out when it will be discussed by the municipal council.

Useful tools

For those seeking up-to-date information on daycare centres in Ticino, we recommend consulting:

• Map of daycare centres in the canton
• Cost of living calculator for families with children
• Guides for cross-border workers on work-life balance

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