Forty new childcare spaces, including a dozen infant and toddler spots, are the result of renovations for BGC Central Vancouver Island at their site new Bayview Elementary. (BGC Central Vancouver Island)

By Alex Rawnsley

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NANAIMO — New spaces are, at least a little, easing some pressure for parents and caregivers finding childcare in the city.

BGC Central Vancouver Island were the recipients of $1.5 million in provincial funding, through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, to renovate the Great Futures Early Learning Centre near Bayview Elementary School.

Karen Love, executive director, told NanaimoNewsNOW the renovations were critical in adding 40 net-new childcare spaces, beginning last month.

“This additional funding allowed us to redevelop the centre inside and offer an additional 14 spaces for ages three to five, an additional 14 school aged [spaces], but it also allowed us to create 12 infant/toddler spaces.”

Before renovations, 16 kids aged three to five and 60 school aged children attended the facility.

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Infant-toddler spaces, for children under three, are in the highest demand for Nanaimo families.

Love said they are needed, in particular for single parents to be able to get back to work and support their new family.

“There are waitlists in every day care that I’m aware of, including ours. Once we announced 12 infant/toddler spaces, they were sold out very quickly and we currently have a waitlist.”

Current wait lists for the programs include 40-50 names for the infant/toddler division, around 30 for kids aged three to five and a rotating waitlist of between 20 and 50 children for BGC’s school care programs.

The new centre, along with BGC’s Chase River facility are also $10 per day spots, part of provincial government initiatives.

Love said money from the province covered 90 per cent of development costs, while BGC had to raise the remaining 10 per cent, as well as cover operational costs.

“We did manage to hire some new staff. We know early childhood educators are in short supply in B.C., particularly here on the Island but we have been successful I believe due to our reputation to be able to hire enough staff and we’re now fully operational at that centre.”

Love said BGC has a $10 per day application for their Parksville centre, however no decision has been made yet.

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