BC Gov News

This backgrounder contains additional information on the five projects that will create a total of 143 new licensed child care spaces in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

CCAA Childcare Centre (Vancouver) 

Run by the Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver, the CCAA Childcare Centre will offer 16 spaces for children aged three to five years and is expected to open in September 2020. The building will also include a school, assembly area for members of the Greek church and room for the Greek School language program. The centre works closely with the BC Centre for Ability to develop collaborative care plans for children who require extra support and offers parents volunteer opportunities to gain experience and education.

Konstantin Nikolaou, president, Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver –

“It’s been a long-standing commitment of our organization to integrate itself within the community. This is part of an ongoing objective where this project evolved from community participation and discussions with surrounding families with the hope that we can meet some of their needs. We are extremely proud to be able to be part of the solution to our Lower Mainland’s child care space crisis and equally honoured in the trust the Province of British Columbia has extended to us. We look forward to our continued future within this area and our neighbourhood.”

The Big Playhouse (Vancouver)

The Big Playhouse, which was recently renovated to be wheelchair accessible, will provide 21 new spaces in October 2020. This includes 16 infant/toddler spaces and five spaces for children aged three to five years. These are in addition to seven spaces the centre already offers, for a total of 28 licensed spaces. The centre will incorporate a variety of languages, including French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog, into their programming, and will maintain a multicultural staff to ensure all children and families are supported.

Waqas Abdul Rauf, The Big Playhouse (Vancouver) –

“Our program is based on the philosophy that all children are equal and unique individuals. We provide a warm, safe and nurturing environment to cultivate children’s optimal social and emotional growth, as well as their physical and intellectual skills. Teachers accompany children on the exploration process rather than creating a distinct instructor/pupil relationship. Our ultimate goal is for the children to express their learning, knowledge and experience freely and uniquely.”

Capilano University Children’s Centre (North Vancouver)

A new on-campus child care centre at Capilano University will provide 74 new licensed child care spaces, including 24 infant/toddler spaces and 50 spaces for children aged three to five years. The inclusively designed building, which will be wheelchair accessible and equipped to provide care to children who require extra support, is expected to open in July 2023. It will serve as both learning spaces for children and practicum learning spaces for students of Capilano University’s early childhood education programs. The Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum will focus on innovation, exploration and play-based learning. It will also include visits to Kéxwusm-áyakn, the Indigenous students’ centre on campus for visits with Elders, drumming and ceremonies.

Paul Dangerfield, president, Capilano University (North Vancouver) –

“This is welcome news. With plans moving forward on designing a new centre for childhood studies that will house our second child care centre on campus, Capilano University is very grateful for this funding contribution from the provincial government. Our university is proud to be both a significant provider of childcare services on the North Shore and a leading educator in early childhood education in B.C.”

Little Buddies Daycare (North Vancouver)

Located within walking distance of two elementary schools and a public library, Little Buddies Daycare is expected to open in January 2021 and will provide 24 infant/toddler spaces. To support the child care sector, Little Buddies will accept placements of early childhood education students from local colleges and universities, as well as co-operative education students from local high schools.

Videa Sieben, owner, Little Buddies Daycare (North Vancouver) –

"Little Buddies Daycare will see the revitalization of a well-established commercial area that is surrounded by a young family-orientated community that will greatly benefit by the opening of this daycare. As a working parent, I found it difficult to find great child care for my own children that was affordable but also offered all the benefits of a safe, fun and developmentally appropriate program. As such, I opened the original Little Buddies Daycare in 2016 and with that same intent, I am excited to open our newest centre to allow for more families to take advantage of our high-standard level of care."

Little Steps Learning Centre (North Vancouver)

Little Steps Learning Centre, which opened in June 2020, is now providing eight infant/toddler spaces. Programming at the centre is culturally inclusive, and activities are developed through curriculum kits from the BC Aboriginal Childcare Society’s resource centre.

Fariba Faridi, owner, Little Steps Learning Centre (North Vancouver) –

“Little Steps is an inclusive centre that celebrates the diversity and differences of the children we care for. Our play-based approach to learning allows children to experience the world around them while learning and improving their physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.”

• Since launching in February 2018, the Childcare BC plan has helped parents save up to $1,600 a month, per child, for a total of nearly $510 million through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative. As a result of these investments:
  • over 32,000 children have received child care for no more than $10 a day, including more than 2,100 in Vancouver and North Vancouver;
  • parents in Vancouver and North Vancouver have saved more than $58 million.
• In 2018, nine child care providers in the lower mainland were selected to deliver low-cost child care as Childcare BC Universal Prototype Sites:
  • Woodwards YMCA Child Care offers 12 infant/toddler spaces and 25 spaces for children aged three to five years.
  • Bob and Kay Ackles YMCA Nanook House offers 12 infant/toddler spaces and 25 spaces for children aged three to five years.
  • Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House's Satellite Daycare offers 12 infant/toddler spaces and 25 spaces for children aged three to five years.
  • Hastings Park Child Care Centre offers 12 infant/toddler spaces, 16 spaces for children aged three to five years and 16 spaces for children up to the age of 12.
  • Collingwood Neighbourhood House offers 24 infant/toddler spaces and 25 spaces for children aged three to five years.
  • Langara Child Development Centre offers 12 infant/toddler spaces and 50 spaces for children aged three to five years.
  • Emma's Early Learning and Care Centre offers 28 infant/toddler spaces.
  • Hummingbird Under three offers 24 infant/toddler spaces.
• The City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver each received a planning grant from the Community Child Care Planning Program, administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, to help identify their specific child care needs.
• In January 2020, the Province launched a new professional development program, which is giving early childhood educators access to more than 30 teaching specialists at community hubs around B.C., helping them to stay up to date on the latest child care teaching trends and techniques.
• The Province has made significant investments to improve supports to B.C.’s early care and learning professionals, including nearly $16 million to provide more than 6,000 bursaries for students pursuing a career in child care.
• To date, the Province has invested more than $27 million to provide more than 12,000 early childhood educators with a $1-per-hour wage enhancement, which increased to $2 an hour in April 2020. This includes more than $4.8 million for early childhood educators in Vancouver and North Vancouver.