B.C. funds about 1,200 new child-care spaces for schools
BC child care funding adds 1,200 school-based spaces across the province See how the new program aims to cut costs and expand access for families
British Columbia has announced a new capital funding program to create about 1,200 licensed before and afterschool childcare spaces across the province within the next year. Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare unveiled the plan in Nanaimo on Monday, saying the spaces will be added through school districts and located on school grounds where possible.
The province says $5 million from the Ministry of Infrastructure will be used to renovate and repurpose existing school areas for child care. Twentytwo school districts will receive funding, including nearly 200 spaces in Nanaimo. Additional money will come from the Ministry of Education and Child Care to help launch and run the programs.
That includes $2 million for startup costs such as staff training and equipment, $20 million for operating support over three years, and a separate $2.9million fund for boardoperated schoolaged care programs. Families using the new spaces will also be eligible for the province’s Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.
Child care advocates welcomed the move but said the number of new spaces is still far below what is needed for universal access. The $10 a Day Child Care Campaign says B.C. would need nearly 200,000 additional before and afterschool spaces to meet demand.