Comox Valley Schools (SD71) is announcing plans to build a new child care facility at G.P. Vanier Secondary School in Courtenay.
The new facility will be funded in part through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund.
鈥淧roviding new child care spaces in the Comox Valley means more parents will be able to work, go to school or pursue other opportunities,鈥� said MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard. 鈥淥ur government is building child care where families need it most, including on school grounds like G.P Vanier Secondary. This funding brings much needed resources to help make parents鈥� lives easier while providing a safe and enriching environment for young children.鈥�
Once built, it will have capacity for 108 children, with full-day child care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. There will also be before- and after-school care. Those 108 spots include spaces currently provided by the Today 'N' Tomorrow Learning Society, which will be included in the new centre. They will continue providing child care services in the new location. The facility will also host the Young Parent Program, which provides support around education, childcare, and the social and health needs of expecting parents in the valley.
With spaces available at the new facility, families will benefit from affordable child care fees through the Province鈥檚 fee-reduction program, which reduces the cost of child care by as much as $900 per month, a release from SD71 says.
鈥淭hese new child care spots will be a game-changer for families in Courtenay, providing affordable, high-quality child care in their community and close to home,鈥� said Canada鈥檚 Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds. 鈥淧arents can drop off and pick up their kids with ease, knowing that they are getting the best possible start in life.鈥�
SD71 says that the facility will help address "significant demand for child care spaces" in the area, and that it is part of the provincial strategy to meet the increasing demand for such spaces in communities.
鈥淲e are very excited to see this project moving forward,鈥� said Michelle Waite, chairperson of Comox Valley Schools. 鈥淣ot only will this facility support local families, but it will also strengthen our community by providing crucial resources for early childhood development.鈥�
The new centre will feature modern facilities designed to enhance learning and development. Staffed by qualified early childhood educators, it will offer programs that foster physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth. Construction is set to begin in January 2025, with completion expected by January 2026.
The new spaces are made possible through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, which provided total funding of over $7.9 million. The fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
