Vic West Elementary School is one of six in elementary schools in Greater Victoria where licensed child-care spaces will be co-located. Photo courtesy Google.
The province says 439 new licensed child-care spaces will be available at six elementary schools around Victoria through a $4.6 million agreement.
The Greater Victoria School District is partnering with non-profit organizations to deliver the new spaces, with funding from the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund (CBCNSF).
The spaces will be located at Doncaster, Frank Hobbs, Macaulay, Tillicum, Victoria West and Willows elementary schools, ranging from $477,600 to $872,800 per project. Greater Victoria School District spokeswoman Lisa McPhail said the spaces will be in 11 learning studios. There will be two at each school, except for Macaulay Elementary, which will have one.
McPhail said all studios will be open at the end of 2019 with the exception of Frank Hobbs Elementary, which will open in September 2019.
.@KatrineConroy announces 439 new licensed daycare spaces in Victoria. And the students from Vic West Elem sang a song. #bcpoli @CHEK_News pic.twitter.com/COCWNLcCzd
— Mary Griffin (@Mary_Griffin_) November 27, 2018
The fund is part of the B.C. government’s $1 billion plan for child care over the next three years and a move towards universal childcare.
Each facility will be fully accessible and offer inclusive child care for children in with extra support needs.
These new spaces are the first to be announced by the province under the CBCNSF that was launched in July.
The province says it is on target to reach its year one goal of 2,700 spaces across the province.
Of the 439 new spaces to be created around Victoria, 72 will be for children between 30 months to school age and 16 for infant/toddler spaces.
School boards apply for up to $1 million in funding to partner with non-profit organizations to offer childcare spaces per facility.
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