207 new child care spaces are being built at schools in Nanaimo. (Getty Images)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

early education

200 new child care spaces coming to Nanaimo schools

May 20, 2021 | 10:05 AM

NANAIMO — The stress of finding a child care space in Nanaimo is lifting for families with children enrolled at many Nanaimo schools.

The ministry of children and family development on Thursday, May 20 announced 207 new spaces for Nanaimo schools.

Cilaire, Georgia Avenue and Pleasant Valley elementary will each have 52 new spaces. A further 24 are set for Ecole Quarterway, with 16 at the non-profit Nanaimo Innovation Academy and 11 earmarked for the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre.

New facilities for the spaces will be built at Cilaire, Ecole Quarterway, Georgie Avenue and Pleasant Valley, which are expected to open in the fall of 2022.

“Finding affordable child care close to home can be a challenge for many families,” Charlene McKay, chair of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith board of education, said in a release.

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Katrina Chen, minister of state for child care, said growing the number of child care spaces will create positive ripple effects throughout the community.

“For far too long families in Nanaimo have found it difficult to find child care, and these new projects will provide much-needed relief for working parents.”

An equal amount of spaces was announced for Parksville and Lantzville the day before.

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