More parents in Burnaby and New Westminster will be able to return to work, go back to school or pursue other opportunities as the Province invests in more than 350 new licensed child care spaces, 150 of which will be available by the fall.

“Families deserve access to quality, affordable child care, and this government is continuing to deliver more spaces here in Burnaby,” said Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. “These new spaces are more than just a place for children to learn and play, they are also crucial to our economic recovery, allowing more parents to return to work.” 

The Province is supporting nine projects to create 357 new licensed child care spaces in Burnaby and New Westminster:

• Brentwood Park Childcare (24 spaces)
• Kitchener Elementary Childcare (34 spaces)
• Metro Vancouver Housing child care (45 spaces at two projects)
• Parkcrest Elementary Childcare (34 spaces)
• Stoney Creek Elementary Childcare (34 spaces)
• Twelfth Avenue Elementary Childcare (34 spaces)
• Wonderworld Montessori Academy-Metrotown (135 spaces)
• Dragons Grove in New Westminster (17 spaces)

In addition, 20 other projects have also received funding in Burnaby and New Westminster since the launch of Childcare BC in July 2018. This includes the Montecito Child Care Centre, which opened 25 new licensed child care spaces in September 2020. 

“As we enter the fourth year of our 10-year Childcare BC plan, thousands of families are already feeling the life-changing impact of having affordable, quality and inclusive child care,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “As we continue to build towards an inclusive universal child care system, these new spaces will make it easier for parents, especially mothers, to pursue their own goals, while also being part of B.C.’s economic recovery.”

The Province has funded almost 26,000 new licensed spaces since the launch of Childcare BC – more than 6,000 of which are now open.

An additional 4,370 spaces, funded through the 2017 Budget Update and the Early Learning and Child Care agreement with the Government of Canada, takes the total number of new child care spaces funded since July 2017 to more than 29,300.

Quotes:

Mike Hurley, mayor, City of Burnaby –

“The new Montecito Child Care Centre is providing quality care for young working families in our community. It’s located on Montecito Elementary school grounds, which helps to connect new families to their local school.”

Sav Dhaliwal, chair, Metro Vancouver Housing Board of Directors –

“As one of the largest affordable rental housing providers in the region, Metro Vancouver Housing recognizes the critical importance of child care as a contributor to overall affordability, as well as inclusive, complete communities where families can thrive. Metro Vancouver has committed to exploring child care facilities or in-home daycares in all new development projects. Support from the Province through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund has helped make this a reality for new affordable housing projects, bringing more child care spaces to support greater affordability in the region.”

Jen Mezei, chair, Burnaby board of education –

“We are grateful for our partnerships with the provincial government and the City of Burnaby, as well as those we have in the community that have enabled us to be a part of supporting local child care. We recognize the importance of quality, inclusive child care to families in our community, and we are proud that our district has been a leader for more than 35 years in enabling space in our schools and on our properties.”

Quick Facts:

• Since July 2018, almost 26,000 new licensed child care spaces have been funded in British Columbia, including nearly 1,500 in Burnaby and 259 in New Westminster.
• The Childcare BC plan has helped parents save up to $1,600 a month, per child, for a total of over $770 million through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.
• As a result of these investments, parents in Burnaby and New Westminster have saved more than $33.6 million and $13.7 million, respectively.
• Early childhood educators in Burnaby and New Westminster have received over $4.55 in wage enhancements combined.

Learn More:

For information on health and safety standards for child care during COVID-19, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/ChildCareCovid-19Response  

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

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

A backgrounder follows.