12 new infant and toddler spaces are coming to Boys and Girls Club in Ladysmith thanks to a UBCM grant. (Town of Ladysmith)

By Kyle Ireland

BOOST FOR SPACES

New, affordable infant-toddler child care spaces on the way for Ladysmith

Jul 27, 2020 | 5:37 AM

LADYSMITH — The creation of a dozen new childcare spaces in the area is hoped to tackle increasingly high costs and wait lists.

An $875,000 grant from the Union of BC Municipalities will create 12 infant and toddler spaces in Ladysmith. It’s hoped the new spaces will be available in 2021.

The spaces will be operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island (BGCCVI) at their High St. location. The building is owned by the town of Ladysmith, a requirement to qualify for the UBCM grant.

BGCCVI Executive Director Karen Love told NanaimoNewsNOW the investment will address a critical shortage of childcare options in Ladysmith.

“This will add to the infant and toddler space, which really is important for those early years. It’s key the skills that we give the kids when they’re 0-3 can actually help to transfer them into the school system,” Love said.

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BGCCVI currently operates around 60 spaces for kids aged 0 to 12 in Ladysmith, offered at subsidized rates.

It’s hoped the new spaces will help alleviate the stress of finding affordable child care for young children.

“We currently operate a waiting list so this will help reduce that,” Love said. “We know families are struggling to work and find affordable child care, that’s one thing that we do is make it affordable.”

As part of the grant, an 800 sq-ft addition to the building and a new playground will help deal with the increased number of children.

The new spaces comes on the heels of 400 new child care spots announced Wednesday by the province for the Nanaimo and Ladysmith area.

–with files from Ian Holmes

kyle.ireland@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: Kyle_Ireland31