Child care is getting less expensive and easier to find in Revelstoke as the Province invests in 12 new child care spaces to give more parents the option to return to work, go back to school or pursue other opportunities.

“We know parents in smaller communities have had limited options when it comes to child care, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in such a relatively short time,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “These new spaces will make a big difference for families who will have more choice and greater peace of mind knowing that when they drop their kids off in the morning, they’ll get the nurturing support they need to learn and thrive.”

Through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, Stepping Stones Child Care Centre has created 12 new infant/toddler spaces. The centre is one of the 53 prototype projects located around the province. The funding was used to build an outdoor playground for the facility and the centre was designed and built to be fully accessible.

“The Revelstoke Child Care Society has created a bright, vibrant and spacious child care environment that is connected to a revitalized natural playground,” said Linda Chell, executive director. “The children are encouraged to explore the natural elements through adventurous play to develop their physical literacy, confidence and social emotional development. We greatly appreciate the support of the New Spaces Fund and the Columbia Basin Trust Child Care Capital Grant.” 

In total, 40 new, affordable licensed child care spaces in Revelstoke have been funded by the Province since the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund launched in July 2018. They are part of the fastest creation of child care spaces in B.C.’s history, with more than 10,400 funded in the past 15 months.

With the addition of 900 spaces funded through partnerships with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Aboriginal Head Start using federal funding, and 4,100 spaces created through the 2017 Budget Update, more than 15,400 spaces have been funded in B.C.

Since launching in February 2018, the Childcare BC plan has helped parents in the Revelstoke region save more than $700,000 through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.

Investing in child care and early childhood education is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quick Facts:

• The Province has made significant investments to improve supports for B.C.’s early care and learning professionals. To date, more than 10,000 early childhood educators have received a $1-per-hour wage enhancement, with another $1-per-hour lift to come in April 2020.
• In Revelstoke, the Province has provided more than $15,000 to early childhood educators through the wage enhancement.

Learn More:

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

To learn more about the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund and to apply, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund

To find child care in a community, view the online child care map: http://maps.gov.bc.ca/ess/hm/ccf/

Child care factsheet: https://news.gov.bc.ca/18430

For more information about child care in Revelstoke, visit the Revelstoke Child Care Resource and Referral Centre: www.revelstokeearlychilddevelopment.com/child-care.html