Families at Heritage Park Childcare Centre are now paying no more than $200 a month per child as part of a B.C. government universal child care prototype project.

“Heritage Park Childcare Centre’s philosophy of learning through play extends beyond the classroom,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “There is plenty of outdoor play on the safe and secure grounds. This is where children build imagination, get exercise and learn about the world around them.”

Heritage Park Childcare Centre is one of more than 50 sites chosen to offer low-cost child care to B.C. parents. The community-based centre, governed by a board of parents and members of the public, provides a fun learning environment where children are allowed to be children through play. They also gain the independence they need to grow and flourish in the school system by putting away their toys and packing up from lunch. Working closely with families, the centre provides individualized child care for all children, including those who need extra support.

“We committed to introduce affordable, accessible and quality child care for every parent who wants it,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “These low-cost spaces will help shape the future direction of our Childcare BC plan, and we’re excited to be working alongside providers to make life better for B.C. families.” 

The prototype sites will model what high-quality, affordable, universal child care may look like for B.C. families. This funding will allow Heritage Park Childcare Centre to offer 37 low-cost licensed child care spaces to parents in Mission. In all, parents of around 2,500 children throughout the province will benefit from prototype projects.

This project is funded through a $60-million investment as part of the Early Learning and Child Care agreement with the Government of Canada. It complements the Province’s $1-billion three-year investment through Childcare BC to move toward its long-term vision of affordable, accessible and quality child care for any family that needs it.

Parents who are not accessing these low-cost spaces may still be eligible for support through the Affordable Child Care Benefit, which provides up to $1,250 per child a month for families with an annual income of $111,000 or less. Families using licensed child care may also see savings through the Child Care Fee Reduction, which has so far helped to reduce the cost of almost 52,000 child care spaces around the province.

Learn More:

For more about Childcare BC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

For more information about universal child care prototype sites, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/prototypesites

To learn more about the Affordable Child Care Benefit, and to apply, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/affordablechildcarebenefit

For more information about the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and approved providers, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/optin