B.C. hits new child care milestone

Press Release

July 22, 2020

NANAIMO – Thousands of families in 34 B.C. communities will soon have access to quality, licensed child care, as the Province marks a new milestone in its Childcare BC plan.

“Despite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, our goal to create new child care spaces throughout the province continues to gain momentum,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “We’ve been able to fund nearly 16,800 new spaces in the past two years, helping to fulfil our promise of better, more affordable child care options for children and families throughout B.C.”

Since March 2020, when the Province announced a child care milestone of more than 13,000 new licensed spaces, an additional 3,160 new licensed child care spaces have been funded throughout the province under the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund. July marks the second anniversary of the launch of the fund, under which an average of 700 new spaces have been approved for funding each month.

Chen and Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo, celebrated the latest achievement with the board of education of School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith). The district received the majority of the region’s 536 newly approved spaces to proceed with 10 projects that will create licensed child care spaces on school grounds.

“I’m happy to welcome more new child care projects to Nanaimo so that families have more options for care,” Malcolmson said. “Our government is making it easier to offer child care on school grounds, which is more convenient for parents and helps provide kids with a smoother transition to kindergarten.”

Recent changes made by the government to the School Act will make it even easier for school boards to create and operate before- and after-school care. The changes will also require school boards to prioritize space that is not being used for K-12 students for child care and encourage school boards to adopt an inclusive child care policy.

“For too long, families throughout B.C. have struggled to find quality, affordable child care close to home,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “We’re making it easier for child care to be delivered on school properties, because children benefit when they spend more time in spaces that are already designed for enrichment and play, and families save time and money with one central drop-off location in their neighbourhoods.”

In addition to the projects on school grounds, Nanaimo will receive Childcare BC New Spaces funding to support two non-profit projects – one through the Discover Montessori Society and one through the Nanaimo Innovation Academy Foundation.

“These new spaces are part of the fastest province-wide creation of child care spaces in B.C.’s history,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “They demonstrate our ongoing commitments to making life more affordable for B.C. families and to building a strong, resilient economy that benefits everyone.”

An additional 4,110 spaces, funded through the 2017 Budget Update and the Early Learning and Child Care agreement with the Government of Canada, takes the total to nearly 20,900 spaces since July 2017.

Investing in child care and early childhood education is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quotes:

Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley –

“High-quality child care that is accessible for families throughout the province is an absolutely essential aspect of our COVID-19 economic recovery, and I am pleased to see more spaces being announced at this time. We will continue to work collaboratively to further improve child care and support B.C. families.”

Leonard Krog, mayor, City of Nanaimo –

“Child care is both a family and an economic issue facing many people in our community, which at times keeps parents up all night. Thanks to the Province, parents in Nanaimo can now have some peace of mind knowing that there will be additional child care spaces available in our city that will lay the foundations of learning and early childhood development for their children.”

Charlene McKay, chair, Nanaimo-Ladysmith Board of Education –

“As a parent of two school-aged children, I know first-hand the challenges families face when searching for child care. This continues to be a topic of conversation throughout the school district for parents. I applaud our government for identifying this major hurdle for our families and funding these greatly needed child care spaces throughout our entire district.”

Cynthia Dyer, principal and executive director, Discover Montessori Society –

“We are grateful for the investment by the New Spaces Fund toward the development of our Montessori Farm School Campus in Nanaimo. Our farm-based children’s campus will enable more families to have access to desperately needed infant-toddler, preschool and elementary child care spaces in the area. Designed with environmental sustainability and zero carbon in mind, the campus will be clean, bright and welcoming for children, and will offer many hands-on opportunities to connect students with nature.”

Keely Freeman, daycare manager, Nanaimo Innovation Academy Foundation –

“Nanaimo is in desperate need of quality child care. The New Spaces funding from the Province means we can help more kids grow, learn and thrive in an environment that nurtures all aspects of their development. We’re excited to be opening an additional 14 spaces for families this January 2021.”

Quick Facts:

• Since launching in February 2018, the Childcare BC plan has helped parents save up to $1,600 a month, per child, for a total of nearly $510 million going to families through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative. Through these initiatives, over 32,000 children have received child care for no more than $10 a day.
• In January 2020, the Province launched a new professional development program, which is giving early childhood educators access to more than 30 teaching specialists at community hubs throughout B.C., helping them to stay up to date on the latest child care teaching trends and techniques.
• The Province has made significant investments to improve supports to B.C.’s early care and learning professionals, including investing approximately $16 million to provide more than 6,000 bursaries and workforce-development supports for students pursuing a career in child care.
• To date, the Province has invested more than $27 million to provide more than 12,000 early childhood educators with a $1-per-hour wage enhancement, which increased to $2 per hour in April 2020.

Learn More:

For more about Childcare BC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

To learn more about the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund and to apply, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund

To find child care your community, view the online child care map: http://maps.gov.bc.ca/ess/hm/ccf/

For more information on child care in the Nanaimo area, visit: https://pacific-care.bc.ca/

Two backgrounders follow.

Contact:

Ministry of Children and Family Development
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 360-6597

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BACKGROUNDER 1

Thousands of new child care spaces coming to B.C. communities

This backgrounder contains additional information on the organizations that have received funding through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund from Jan. 25, 2020 to March 10, 2020.

This will support the creation of a total of 3,160 new licensed child care spaces for B.C. families. Note that some of these facilities may now be operational.

Through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, eligible applicants can receive up to the following amounts per project:

• $3 million for up to 100% of project costs for public-sector organizations and Indigenous governments;
• $1.5 million for up to 100% of project costs for Indigenous non-profit societies;
• $1.5 million for up to 90% of project costs for non-profit societies, including non-profit child care providers and child development centres; and
• $250,000 for up to 75% of project costs for child care providers that are businesses or corporations.

Fraser Region

Abbotsford

• District 34 (Abbotsford) is creating 88 spaces at the school at Eagle Mountain.
• Newleaf Learning and Childcare Centre is creating 56 spaces.
• Symmetry Early Learning Center is creating 12 spaces.

Coquitlam

• Arden Montessori Childcare Ltd. is creating 106 spaces at Westwood Montessori (Partington).
• Kidscool Early Learning Centre is creating 40 spaces.
• Mindful Kids Childcare Ltd. is creating five spaces.

Delta

• South Delta Wee Clubhouse is creating 16 spaces.
• Iqra Education Society is creating 40 spaces at Alphabetz Daycare.

Langley

• Tiny Hoppers Early Learning Langley City Centre is creating 69 spaces.
• Kidspace Learning Centres Inc. is creating eight spaces.
• Nurturing Hearts Montessori Daycare – Newlands is creating 129 spaces.
• Happyland Early Learning is creating 77 spaces.

Pitt Meadows

• School District 42 (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) is creating 59 spaces at Davie Jones Child Care.

Port Coquitlam

• School District 43 (Coquitlam) is creating 60 spaces at The Learning Experience Children’s Centre Ltd. at Irvine Elementary school.

Surrey

• Rothewood Academy is creating 172 spaces.
• CEFA South Surrey Morgan Crossing is creating 90 spaces.
• Little Acorns Ventures Ltd. is creating eight spaces at Baby Acorns.
• Gobind Marg Charitable Trust Society is creating 50 spaces at Gobind Sarvar Preschool and Afterschool.
• Octopus Academy Surrey is creating 14 spaces.
• Tiny Hoppers Early Learning South Surrey is creating 90 spaces.
• The Al-Kawthar Foundation is creating 28 spaces at the Al-Kawthar Childcare Centre.

White Rock

• White Rock Children’s House Ltd. is creating eight spaces.

Interior Region

Barriere

• The Simpcw First Nation is creating 52 spaces at the Simpcw Early Learning and Child Care Centre.

Canal Flats

• The Corporation of the Village of Canal Flats is creating 16 spaces.

Cawston

• The Lower Similkameen Indian Band is creating 40 spaces at the Ntamtqen Child Care Centre.

Chase

• The Adams Lake Indian Band is creating eight spaces at the Sahhaltkum Daycare.

Coldstream

• The District of Coldstream is creating 32 spaces at Maven Lane.

Kamloops

• Gateway City Church is creating 75 spaces at the Gateway Children’s Centre.
• The Cariboo Childcare Society is creating 37 spaces.

Lake Country

• The Little Owl Society for Children and Families is creating 98 spaces at By the Lake (Little Owl).

West Kelowna

• The Adventure Time Early Learning Centre is creating 65 spaces.

Xa’xtsa

• The Douglas First Nation is creating 46 spaces at the Tipella Child Care Centre.

North Region

Fort St. John

• Little Dandelions Childcare is creating 37 spaces.

Houston

• School District 54 (Bulkley Valley) is building 48 spaces at the Beanstalk Child Care Centre.

Rose Prairie

• The Doig River First Nation is creating 39 spaces at the Doig River Childcare Facility.

Terrace

• School District 82 (Coast Mountain) is creating 102 spaces at the Terrace Coast Mountain Children Society.

Tsay Keh Dene

• The Tsay Keh Dene Band is creating 28 spaces at the Little Eagles Infant Development Program.

Vancouver Coastal Region

North Vancouver

• Capilano University is creating 74 spaces at the Capilano University Children’s Centre.
• Little Buddies Daycare is creating 24 spaces.
• The Little Steps Learning Centre is creating eight spaces.

Richmond

• Harrow House Academy Inc. is creating 147 spaces.
• The Steveston Society of Children’s Centres is creating 10 spaces at the Alderwood House School – London.

Sechelt

• School District 46 (Sunshine Coast) is creating 67 spaces at Sechelt YMCA Child Care.

Vancouver

• The Big Playhouse is creating 21 spaces.
• The Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver is creating 16 spaces at the CCAA Childcare Centre.

Vancouver Island Region

Comox

• The Town of Comox is creating 16 spaces at the Aspen Grove Children’s Centre

Gabriola Island

• The HOPE Centre is expanding its existing facility to add eight spaces

Ladysmith

• School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) is creating 72 spaces at the Ladysmith Primary Early Learning and Child Care Centre

Mayne Island

• The Mayne Island Early Childhood Society is creating 32 spaces at the Mayne Island Family Place

Nanaimo

• Discover Montessori Society is creating 116 spaces at a new Montessori Farm School
• The Nanaimo Innovation Academy Foundation is creating 14 spaces at their existing location
• School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) is creating spaces at nine elementary schools in Nanaimo, including:
  • Bayview Child Care Centre – 17 spaces
  • Cedar Elementary Child Care Centre – 20 spaces
  • Chase River Early Learning Centre  – 72 spaces
  • Fairview Child Care Centre  – 23 spaces
  • Forest Park Early Learning Centre – 76 spaces
  • Georgia Avenue Child Care Centre – 18 spaces
  • Quarterway Child Care Centre – 18 spaces
  • Qwam Qwum Stuwiwulh Early Learning Centre – 38 spaces
  • Rock City Early Learning Centre – 52 spaces

Port Hardy

• The Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations is creating 52 spaces at the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Daycare Centre.

Qualicum Beach

• The Town of Qualicum Beach is creating 25 spaces at the “Into the Woods” Early Learning Studio
• School District 69 (Qualicum) is creating 43 spaces at the Arrowview Kids Club

Victoria

• The Green House Studio is creating six spaces.
• The James Bay Child Care Society is creating 32 spaces at the Infant Plus Daycare Centre.
• The Pacifica Housing Advisory Association is creating spaces as part of two projects: 59 spaces (Burnside) and 36 spaces (Oak Park 2).

Learn More:

Child care factsheet: https://news.gov.bc.ca/18430

For more information on child care in other B.C. communities, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/caring-for-young-children/how-to-access-child-care/child-care-resource-referral-centre

Contact:

Ministry of Children and Family Development
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 360-6597

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BACKGROUNDER 2

More child care options coming for Nanaimo families

This backgrounder contains additional information on the 12 projects that will create 536 new licensed child care spaces in Nanaimo and Ladysmith, supported through the Province’s Childcare BC New Spaces Fund.

Discover Montessori Society

The society is building a Montessori farm school in a five-classroom modular building on a leased portion of the Agricultural Land Reserve (3452 Jingle Pot Rd., Nanaimo). It will have a capacity of 116, including 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, 20 spaces for children aged 30 months to kindergarten, 20 preschool spaces, 40 spaces for school-aged children and 24 multi-age spaces. To keep its carbon footprint low, the farm school will use composting toilets, solar and geo-thermal energy and high-efficiency insulation. The outdoor area around the child care classrooms will include an orchard, vegetable garden and a fish habitat restoration site.
Estimated completion: October 2020

Nanaimo Innovation Academy Foundation

The foundation will use its funding to add an additional classroom to its existing child care facility (905 Hecate St., Nanaimo), which will accommodate 14 new licensed spaces for children aged 30 months to kindergarten. Children at the centre participate in healthy baking, yoga and trips to the park, library and museum. Parents can access free monthly programs, including compassionate parenting and baby sensory workshops. The centre has early childhood educators who are fluent in Mandarin and Spanish.
Estimated completion: September 2020

Nanaimo-Ladysmith Board of Education (SD 68)

Funding will support the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Board of Education to create and operate a total of 406 child care spaces on school grounds, providing local parents with an easier, more convenient drop-off and pick-up schedule, while also helping to prepare young children for success in the K-12 school system.

These projects include:

• Bayview Child Care Centre (140 View St., Nanaimo) – 17 before- and after-school spaces
• Cedar Elementary Child Care Centre (2215 Gould Rd., Nanaimo) – 20 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: September 2021
• Chase River Early Learning Centre (1503 Cranberry Ave., Nanaimo) – 72 spaces, including 12 for infants and toddlers, 16 for children aged 30 months to kindergarten and 44 school-aged spaces. Estimated completion: July 2021
• Fairview Child Care Centre (205 Howard Ave., Nanaimo) – 23 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: September 2021
• Forest Park Early Learning Centre (2050 Latimer Rd., Nanaimo) – 76 spaces, including 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, 16 spaces for children aged 30 months to kindergarten and 48 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: June 2021
• Georgia Avenue Child Care Centre (625 Georgia Ave., Nanaimo) – 18 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: September 2021
• Ladysmith Primary Early Learning and Child Care Centre (510 Sixth Ave., Ladysmith) – 72 spaces, including 12 for infants and toddlers, 16 for children aged 30 months to kindergarten and 44 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: August 2021
• Quarterway Child Care Centre (1632 Bowen Rd., Nanaimo) – 18 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: September 2021
• Qwam Qwum Stuwiwulh Early Learning Centre (1390 Stuywut St., Nanaimo) – 38 spaces, including 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, 16 spaces for children aged 30 months to kindergarten and 10 preschool spaces. Estimated completion: October 2021.
• Rock City Early Learning Centre (3741 Departure Bay Rd., Nanaimo) – 52 spaces, including 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, 16 spaces for children aged 30 months to kindergarten and 24 before- and after-school spaces. Estimated completion: September 2021.

The investment in 536 spaces in Nanaimo and Ladysmith means that a total of 1,017 new licensed child care spaces have been funded in these communities since July 2018.

In partnership with neighbouring communities, Nanaimo and Ladysmith each received $125,000 through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ Community Child Care Planning Grant Program to help them create a long-term child care plan to support families in the community.

In addition, Ladysmith received $875,000 through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities’ Space Creation Program to support the creation of 12 infant/toddler child care spaces in the community.

Since launching in February 2018, the Childcare BC plan has helped parents in Nanaimo and Ladysmith save more than $18 million through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.

Through its early childhood educator wage enhancement, the Province has provided more than $1.2 million for early childhood educators in Nanaimo and Ladysmith.

Contact:

Ministry of Children and Family Development
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 360-6597

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