The YMCA of Northern BC is receiving $75,525 to create eight infant and toddler spaces at the Vanderhoof Family Development Centre, which will be located in the Integris Recreation Centre under renovation on West Columbia Street.
The future recreation centre will also host an arts wing and multi-use spaces, and is slated to finish construction this September.
Funded by the Province’s Child Care Major Capital Funding Program, the third intake disbursed $11.3 million to 30 British Columbia communities to create 1,818 childcare spaces.
“Finding quality child care is key for parents who are heading back to work or pursuing higher education or training,” said Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux. “These new licensed spaces will help bring peace of mind to thousands of B.C. parents who can drop their kids off in the morning knowing they’ll be well cared for in a rich learning environment.”
As a result of this process, 45 projects are receiving funding to create new spaces in their communities.
Childcare major capital funding supports non-profit in building new facilities, including the cost of buying land or a building, purchase and assemble a modular building and develop a site, renovate an existing building, buy eligible equipment(including playground equipment) and furnishings to support new child-care spaces in an existing facility.
Priority was placed on applications proposing to create childcare spaces in underserved areas of B.C. - including Surrey, Richmond, Vancouver, Burnaby and Coquitlam — and on school grounds, where children can smoothly transition from early years programs, to the classroom and to before- and after-school care.
Other locales in the north that received funding included the Houston Community Services Association for the Beanstalk Child Care Centre.
Co-located with the Bulkley Valley Child Development Centre, the association is receiving $307,952 to create eight infant and toddler spaces, 16 spaces for children aged three to five, 14 preschool spaces and 20 school-aged spaces.