More than 70 new childcare spaces will be available at Forest Park Elementary in Nanaimo thanks to the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. (Google images)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

child care

Mid Island schools benefit from 150 new child care spaces

Jun 16, 2023 | 1:01 PM

NANAIMO — Around 150 new, licensed child care spaces are now available in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District (SD 68) with the opening of two new child care centres.

The new spaces will be split between Forest Park Elementary in Nanaimo which will have 70 spaces, with Ladysmith Primary’s new child care centre containing 75.

Minister of state for child care Grace Lore stated in a news release co-locating child care on school grounds makes life easier for parents knowing their kids are in one place for the day.

“By working with school districts, we’re building a future where access to affordable, quality, inclusive child care is a core service families can depend on.”

SD68 has received more than $22.6M through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund to create more than 550 new child care spaces on school grounds since 2018. Money has also been used for playgrounds and equipment.

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Board chair for SD68 Greg Keller said their district recognizes the vital importance of child care space within their schools.

“We are extremely grateful to the B.C. government for funding these 150 spaces between Forest Park Elementary and Ladysmith Primary, as it enables the district to provide quality child care services for more families. The Province’s support will be integral as we create more child care centres across the district in the years to come.”

Parents and guardians with school-age children at licensed facilities will save as much as $145 a month on their child care fees through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative starting Sept. 1, 2023, when the fee reductions expand to include school-age child care spaces.

Since 2019, the Province has worked with SD68 to create more than 550 new licensed child care spaces in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, and Lantzville elementary schools.

More information on child care spaces within SD86 can be found here.

More than 800 children are enrolled in on-site child minding and before/after school care at SD 68 schools, most of which are offered by private operators.

School District 68 intends to launch its own in-house before and after school care initiative on a limited pilot project basis in September at Ecole Hammond Bay Elementary and Pleasant Valley school.

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