British Columbia municipalities and regional districts can now access nearly $17 million in funding to plan and build licensed child care spaces that will best meet the needs of local families.

With the launch of its new Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB), the provincial government is making child care more affordable for 80,000 B.C. families.

Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development, and Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care, have issued the following joint statement to celebrate reaching a milestone under the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative:

Thousands of families struggling with the shortage of quality child care will benefit from the 22,000 new licensed spaces coming over the next three years.

Families searching for quality, licensed child care in their communities will have hundreds more options through a new grant program.

More students in the Kootenays will soon have access to training to become early childhood educators, thanks to an expansion of the program at Selkirk College.

For the first time, licensed family, in-home multi-age, and private-group child care providers throughout British Columbia will be able to access minor repair and replacement funds, and relocation funds.

Are you a child care provider who believes in the long-term vision of the Childcare BC plan to create affordable child care? Do you want to be a partner in the Province’s move towards a universal system that will make a difference in the lives of B.C. families?