Little Oysters Child Care in Fanny Bay has expanded its offering of childcare spaces, with the non-profit society behind the centre accessing provincial and federal funding. (Image Credit: Beachcombers Education Society)

By Alex Rawnsley

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Forty-four new childcare spaces online near Qualicum Beach

Sep 13, 2026 | 6:04 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — A multi-year renovation project to a local pre-school and childcare centre has been pushed over the finish line just in time for the new school year.

Beachcomber Education Society, a non-profit running the Little Oysters Child Care, celebrated the opening of their newly updated building in Fanny Bay on Thursday, Sept. 10, adding 44 childcare spaces for kids aged three to five to their facility.

Society president Zoe Lambert said they’d been operating at capacity for a long time and the renovations mean they’ve effectively tripled the number of spots they can offer area parents and caregivers.

“There’s those times where a family had signed up…but didn’t follow through. They thought they had a space, but because we hadn’t heard from them, we gave the space away, and there’s parents in tears come September. It’s really nice not to be in that situation anymore.”

The childcare centre is now licensed for 57 children aged three to five, with space for another 12 children in group childcare.

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Construction started in the spring of 2025, with enrolled kids just wrapping their first week back on site.

The build included renovating an unfinished attic space for some pre-school programming, as well as constructing an addition to existing structures.

Lambert said the additional space provides short-term benefits to families needing childcare, but longer-term stability for families already enrolled with younger siblings on the way.

A combination of provincial and federal funding helped with the project.

“The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is helping create more child care spaces in communities like Fanny Bay, and the addition of 44 new spaces at Little Oysters Child Care is fantastic news for local families and a wonderful example of what we can accomplish when we invest in quality early learning and child care,” Josie Osborne, MLA for Mid-Island Pacific Rim, said in a statement.

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by Alex Rawnsley

Forty-four new childcare spaces online near Qualicum Beach

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