School District 91 Nechako Lakes will introduce a new program to reduce the burden on busy families by opening early child care on school grounds.

“We are excited to see the Nechako Lakes School District take part in this important initiative that is creating more child care options for busy families,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “By offering child care in familiar school settings, we are not only making life easier for families but also ensuring that children receive quality care in a safe and nurturing environment.”

The district will open 24 licensed before- and after-school child care spaces at David Hoy Elementary in Fort St. James in the coming weeks, funded by $720,000 from the Ministry of Education. The spaces are part of a new initiative using existing school space, as well as school district resources and staff, to provide before- and after-school care without additional pickups and dropoffs.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to participate in this program,” said Wendy Kelemen, district principal of early learning and child care. “We heard from many families about their difficulty in finding quality before- and after-school care for their children, so these new child care spaces across the school district will be such a benefit to those in need of a licensed child care space.”

Families will also benefit from the fee-reduction program, which will save families as much as $115 per month, per child. Families with low and middle incomes that need additional support with the cost of child care may be eligible for the Affordable Child Care Benefit.

“On behalf of SD91 parents, I would like to express our thanks to the ministry for granting us this program,” said Pam Higginson, chair of the district’s parent advisory council. “It will greatly benefit our communities by providing child care spaces for parents whose work schedules do not match school hours. This consistent care will be a convenient and reliable option, eliminating stress and worry for parents and providing a seamless day for their kids.”

This program will be evaluated with the goal of expanding it to other districts, helping more families throughout the province.

“We are excited to begin delivering integrated before- and after-school care at public schools in our district,” said Devon Gardner, president of CUPE 4177. “This model offers safe and reliable care for kids, while providing stable employment for workers so they can better support themselves and families. At a time when parents are facing so many challenges, a pilot program like this will have a real impact in our smaller, rural communities.”

Since 2018, ChildCareBC accelerated space-creation programs have helped fund the creation of more than 39,000 new licensed child care spaces in B.C. with more than 20,000 open. 

Learn More:  

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

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

For more information about the Affordable Child Care Benefit, visit:
http://www.gov.bc.ca/affordablechildcarebenefit