Monday October 20, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated October 24, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
With the help of a federal funding commitment, there are now 302 new child care spaces open or opening on Vancouver Island this fall season.
The child care funding support announcement has been released in several political announcements, including by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on October 10; by Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu in Saanich on October 10; and by BC Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare on October 17 along with Liberal MP Terry Beech in Burnaby.
Across BC there are 959 new spaces, with 302 of those on Vancouver Island.
Vancouver Island spaces:
- Courtenay – Puddleduck child care centre; 31 spaces (15 spaces for infant-toddler, 16 spaces for 30 months to kindergarten spaces)
- Sooke – Choo Choo, Let’s Go! child care centre; 37 spaces (12 spaces for infant-toddlers, 25 spaces for 30 months to kindergarten)
- Victoria – Burnside child care centre; 59 spaces (12 spaces for infant-toddlers, 25 spaces for 30 months to kindergarten, 22 preschool spaces). Operated by Burnside Gorge Community Association led by Pacifica Housing at 496 Cecilia Road, Victoria.
- Victoria – Next Level Child Care Society; 175 spaces (60 spaces for infant-toddlers, 75 spaces for 30 months to kindergarten, 40 school-age care spaces) – Victoria locations.
Island MLAs are supportive:
NDP MLAs Darlene Rotchford (Esquimalt-Colwood) and Nina Krieger (Victoria-Swan Lake) say that families in Greater Victoria will benefit from new child care spaces opening this fall.
“As a mum of two little ones, I know how important child care is to support families while children learn and grow,” says Rotchford.
“We are proud to build on our commitment to expanding access to community-based child care,” says Krieger.
NDP MLA Dana Lajeunesse (Juan de Fuca-Malahat) says that families in Sooke will benefit from new child care spaces opening this fall.
“When families have jobs and other obligations taking them all around the region, increasing the number of local child care options take some of the stress off already busy parents and caregivers,” says Lajeunesse.
Affordable rates:
Families who attend these child care centres will benefit from affordable child care fees through the province’s fee reduction program which reduces the cost of child care by up to $900 per child per month.
===== RELATED:
- Co-funding for 959 new BC child care spaces announced by ECC Minister Beare and MP Beech (October 19, 2025)
- National School Food Program celebrated by Jobs & Families Minister Hajdu in Saanich (October 10, 2025)
- Family-oriented supports in 2025 federal budget preview: tax filing, school food, parks (October 10, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: CHILD CARE