The B.C. government is investing in more than 320 new licensed child care spaces on Southern Vancouver Island this year, according to a press release Thursday. It says it’s expecting 224 of them to be open by the end of 2021.
“Opening hundreds of new, affordable child care spaces, in addition to the thousands of spaces our government has already supported on the South Island, means more parents can focus on providing for their families knowing their child is getting a great start in their early learning years,” said Rob Fleming, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake in a press release Thursday.
The Province says it is working with seven different projects to bring 328 spaces to the area. Below is a breakdown of the licensed spaces opening in each area:
- Victoria (267)
- Duncan (37)
- Cowichan Bay (24)
“As we enter the fourth year of our 10-year Childcare BC plan, thousands of families are already feeling the life-changing impact of having affordable, quality, and inclusive child care,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care in the press release. “As we continue to build toward an inclusive, universal child care system, these new spaces will make it easier for parents, especially mothers, to pursue their own goals while being part of B.C.’s economic recovery.”
33 other projects have also received funding in Victoria and Duncan after the launch of Childcare BC in 2018, according to the Province. It says it has funded almost 26,000 new licensed spaces since the launch of Childcare BC and 6,000 of them are now open.
The Province says parents in Victoria and Cowichan Valley have saved more than $20.8 million and $10 million because of the investments in child care.
It also says early childhood educators in Victoria and Cowichan Valley have received over $2 million in wage enhancements combined.
READ MORE: Over 500 new child care spaces coming to northern, central Vancouver Island
Justin Waddell
