B.C. child-care professionals, organizations, and local governments who have demonstrated outstanding service to children and families are honoured at an awards ceremony in Vancouver.

The 2011 B.C. Child Care Awards of Excellence and Child Care Legacy Awards will honour 15 individuals and representatives, including those representing child care facilities which have been in operation - and serving children and families - for 40 years or more. The awards, hosted by Minister of Children and Family Development Mary McNeil and Linda Reid, Richmond-East MLA, are held during the month of May to celebrate Child Care Month in B.C.

Nominations for the Child Care Awards of Excellence were accepted from January 28 to March 11, 2011. Award recipients were nominated by peers, parents, other individuals, and local governments, and chosen by a selection committee. These awards recognize outstanding contributions made by child-care professionals, innovative individuals, organizations and local governments who support child-care initiatives in their communities.

Recipients are receiving awards in the following categories:

• General - (four awards) recognizing individual excellence in B.C. regions
• Aboriginal (two awards)
• Organization
• Lenora Pritchard Award of Excellence
• Innovation (one award)
• Municipal/Regional Government (two awards)
• Child care legacy awards (six awards)

Quick Facts:

• There are over 6,000 licensed child-care facilities in communities across B.C.
• Approximately 60 per cent of licensed facilities are group child care and approximately 40 per cent are family child care.
• Across the province, there are more than 11,900 actively licensed Early Childhood Educators and more than 4,000 Early Childhood Educator Assistants.
• There are 35 post-secondary training institutes offering early childhood education programs in B.C.
• The B.C. government provides over $65 million for providers annually in child-care operating funding. More facilities are eligible for funding than ever before - with over 5,000 licensed child-care facilities across the province receiving funding.
• The B.C. Government will spend $296 million on child care in 2011/12. That is a 40 per cent increase since 2000/ 01.
• Budget 2011 includes $365 million over three years to establish full day Kindergarten for five-year-olds - which started last fall. This government is investing in and improving early learning.
• In addition, the government made a regulation change last year increasing the maximum capacity of after school child care programs, resulting in the creation of more spaces.
• 97,000 licensed child-care spaces are funded in communities around the province.
• More than $35 million in capital funding - including nearly $7 million for Aboriginal communities - has been provided to create more than 6,500 licensed child care spaces since 2001.

Learn More:

To learn more about services available to child care providers, visit http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/providers.htm

Contact:

Cindy Rose
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639

BACKGROUNDER

Awarding A+ service - 2011 Child Care Award Winners

Fifteen child care providers, organizations and municipalities have been awarded 2011 Child Care Awards of Excellence and Child Care Legacy Awards for their outstanding work on behalf of B.C. children and families.

General

Vancouver Island Region: Marni Lalonde - Victoria

• Interior Region: Sandra Yee - Princeton
• Vancouver Coastal Region: Pamela Wallberg - Richmond
• Northern Region: Cindy Hall - Terrace

Aboriginal

• Organization: Vancouver Native Health Society - Vancouver
• Lenora Pritchard Award of Excellence: Leona Antoine - Vancouver

Innovation

• United Family Child Care Providers Society - Vancouver

Municipal/Regional Government

• City of Richmond
• District of West Vancouver

Child Care Legacy Awards - for forty or more years of service:

• Discovery Day Care - Vancouver
• Marine Garden Child Care Centre - Vancouver
• Edenridge Day Care Centre - Vancouver
• Happy Corner Preschool - Vancouver
• Rainbow Express Day Care - Victoria
• Comox Valley Children's Day Care Society - Comox

Contact:

Cindy Rose
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639