The 2024-25 intake of the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is open for applications until Aug. 2, 2024.

The New Spaces Fund has created thousands of new licensed child care spaces throughout B.C., improving access to child care for families. Since 2018, government has funded more than 37,000 new licensed child care spaces, with more than 18,000 of these spaces open throughout the province.

This year, there are two grant funding streams for applicants: major capital grants and minor capital grants. These funding streams replace the previous new spaces fund primary stream and school-age-care-on-school-grounds stream.

Major capital funding helps build, renovate and expand child care centres, with requests of more than $500,000. Minor capital projects are renovations and equipment-only projects anticipated to be complete within one year, with requests of up to $500,000.

Eligible organizations include Indigenous governing entities, local governments, public bodies, including health authorities, public post-secondary institutions and Crown corporations, not-for-profits and Indigenous not-for-profits, First Nations schools and other eligible independent schools looking to apply for space-creation funding.

New this year, school districts will use their existing Capital Asset Planning System to request funding for child care projects on school grounds, in addition to education capital funding. This makes it easier for school districts to plan for and create more child care on school grounds for families in their district. It will also help the ministry consider school district child care projects alongside education projects.

Before applying to the New Spaces Fund, applicants are encouraged to consult with local First Nations about their plans. This is one way to support development of projects that serve all members of the community. It is also an opportunity to initiate or strengthen relationships with First Nations governments on whose territory the space will be developed.

The New Spaces Fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. 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 in B.C.

Learn More:

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

For more about ChildCareBC: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

For more information about the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/british-columbia-canada-wide-2021.html

A backgrounder follows.