Northern families benefit from new child care spaces

April 21, 2022

 

Kitimat — More parents in northern B.C. will be able to pursue work, school and other opportunities while knowing their children are cared for as the Province invests in nearly 280 new licensed child care spaces.

Backgrounders

New child care spaces for families in northern B.C.

This backgrounder contains additional information on the seven child care sites that will create 279 new licensed child care spaces in northern British Columbia.

CHETWYND –

Northern Lights College

YMCA Chetwynd Care and Learning Centre; 12 infant-toddler spaces, located on campus grounds

DAWSON CREEK –

Northern Lights College

Campus Kids Daycare; 48 spaces (24 2.5 years to kindergarten age, 24 school age), located on campus grounds

FORT ST. JOHN –

Métis Nation British Columbia

Name to be confirmed; 61 spaces (24 infant-toddler, 25 2.5 years to kindergarten age, 12 school age), Indigenous-led

KITIMAT –

Haisla Nation Council

Haisla Youth Centre; 27 2.5-years-to-kindergarten-age spaces, Indigenous-led

MOBERLY LAKE  –

Saulteau Frist Nations

Cree-ative Wonders; 24 spaces (16 infant-toddler, eight 2.5 years to kindergarten age), Indigenous-led

PRINCE GEORGE –

The Board of Education of School District 57

BBBS Early Learning and Playcare; 50 2.5-years-to-kindergarten-age spaces, located adjacent to school grounds

QUESNEL –

City of Quesnel

Quesnel Child Care Centre; 57 spaces (eight infant-toddler, 25 2.5 years to kindergarten age, 24 school age), will offer Indigenous programming

New Spaces Fund evaluation criteria

The intake for the 2021-22 ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund opened on Sept. 13, 2021, and closed on Nov. 16, 2021. Applications were evaluated against criteria set out in the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund guidelines to align with provincial priorities and with federal direction outlined in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement to focus on spaces that are run by public and non-profit institutions.

Priority areas for this intake included child care providers that will deliver on the creation of:

  • infant-toddler child care spaces
  • spaces serving priority populations including:
    • low-income families
    • children with support needs
    • Indigenous children and families
    • families new to Canada
    • young parents (25 years and younger)
    • Black and other children and families of colour
    • francophone children
  • spaces co-located with other community or family services, such as on school grounds (including K-12 and public post-secondary)
  • fully inclusive and accessible child care spaces that allow children of all abilities to participate meaningfully (i.e., accessible physical design and application of program inclusion policy)
  • projects with a provincial cost per space of $40,000 or less

The 2022-23 intake of the New Spaces Fund applications will open in spring/summer 2022.