Families in Campbell River are benefiting from a new child care centre with 30 new school-age child care spaces opening at Ripple Rock Elementary.

“This new child care centre will bring much-needed service for families in Campbell River,” said Michele Babchuk, MLA, North Island. “Offering child care on school grounds gives parents peace of mind knowing their children will be supported with learning opportunities in a safe environment and through the collaborative work between the school district and CUPE.”

The Province partnered with School District No. 72 (SD72) to build new child care spaces with more than $1 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. The funding supported construction of the child care centre, and the purchase of furniture and appliances.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of the Ripple Rock Child Care Centre, the first of our six district-operated child care centres,” said Kat Eddy, board chair, SD72. “Together with the ministry, we’re proud to complement the efforts of our community’s child care providers, providing more care options for working parents and additional work hours for our education assistants.”

School districts throughout B.C. are partnering with the provincial government to create new child care spaces to help families. Child care on school grounds makes life easier for families with one dropoff and pickup location, streamlining daily routines, reducing stress and creating a smoother transition for children.

“Having child care available at my boys’ school has been an absolute game-changer for my family,” said Chelsea Frederickson, a parent of children attending the centre. “I was on every single list, but there were no openings anywhere. As a single mom with three kids, having access to after-school care solved this worry and has allowed me to work an extra 15 hours a week, which is huge for our household.”

Since 2018, ChildCareBC accelerated space creation programs have helped fund the creation of more than 34,000 new licensed child care spaces in B.C. More than 550 of these are in Campbell River and surrounding areas.

Funding the creation of new child care spaces is part of the Province’s ChildCareBC plan to build access to affordable, quality, inclusive child care as a core service families can rely on.

The Province and the Government of Canada invested more than $260 million in 2023 to fund the creation of new licensed child care spaces in high-need areas throughout B.C.

Learn More:

For more information on ChildCareBC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

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