More than 100 children and their families will benefit from a new child care centre open on Edmonton Avenue in Penticton.

“We partnered with the City of Penticton to build this modern child care centre with the types of child care parents need the most,” said Grace Lore, Minister of State for Child Care. “The local economy, families and children will benefit from these 116 new licensed infant-toddler and school-aged spaces that were identified as priority child care needs in the Penticton community.” 

The City of Penticton received nearly $2 million through the Province’s ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund and approximately $1 million from the Union of BC Municipalities to build a stand-alone child care facility at Kiwanis Park. 
 
“The Penticton Child Care Action Plan set out clear targets that we need to ensure child care needs are being met in our community and today’s announcements are another step towards meeting our goals,” said Julius Bloomfield, mayor of Penticton. “A key part of the plan is creating partnerships that help create needed spaces and we’re seeing that in action.”

The 7,500-square-foot stand-alone facility features six child care rooms, kitchen equipment, office spaces, and storage rooms, and is operated by OneSky Community Resources. 

“Child care is a growing need in our community, and we are so proud to be able to offer more families a place where their kids can learn and grow,” said Tanya Behardien, executive director, OneSky. “OneSky has been really fortunate to work alongside the City of Penticton, the Province of B.C. and the Union of BC Municipalities, as well as having the support and input from the community to bring this project to fruition.” 
  
Since 2018, through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, more than 32,000 new licensed child care spaces have been funded for creation in B.C., with more than 700 of these in Penticton. Funding the creation of new child care spaces is part of the Province’s goal to build access to affordable, quality inclusive child care as a core service that families can rely on. 

The Province and the Government of Canada are investing nearly $300 million for the creation of new licensed child care spaces in high-need areas throughout B.C. Applications for the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund are being accepted from public and not-for-profit child care operators and providers, as well as Indigenous governments until the budget is spent. 

Learn More:

For information about the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund

For information about ChildCareBC, visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/childcare