Thursday August 8, 2024 [2 pm] | COLWOOD, BC [Updated Aug 16, 2024]
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
On this hot sunny Thursday in Colwood various community leaders gathered to hear about the growing number of child care spaces in the west shore and across BC.
Minister of State for Child Care Mitzi Dean has long been promoting the need for child care spaces but also has been working on the matrix of producing those spaces.
Her leadership in child care delivery is grounded in her pre-political career in child care and family services. Since being elected in 2017 she has kept the child care file in the forefront under both Premier John Horgan and now under Premier David Eby through the ChildCareBC plan. As the Minister of State for Child Care this year Dean has shone a spotlight on the many years of hard work on the file by previous ministers.
There are 600 new child care spots under development across BC. The nine new child care centres will be located in: Esk’etemc First Nation, Homalco First Nation, G̱aw Tlagée, Kelowna, Langford, Metchosin, Peachland, Pemberton and West Vancouver.
Recruiting and retaining ECEs:
Accessing child care “where and when they need it” is a key aspect of developing child care across BC, said Minister Dean today. She notes that investing in the early childhood educator (ECE) work force is “a critical aspect of all of the work that we’re doing through ChildCare BC“.
- The wages for ECEs have been enhanced over the years by $6 per hour, to now about $28 per hour on average. Dean says that there has been a net increase of ECE workers and a stabilization across the sector (as in retaining employees at child care centres).
- The number of seats for training ECEs has been increased by the BC NDP government.
- Grants are available for ECEs who are pursuing specialized levels of expertise in child care delivery.
Education and child care:
In 2022 the Ministry of Education was renamed as the Ministry of Education and Child Care. It was a way to provide a more seamless approach to education for children in BC. Minister Dean says that delivering child care is a core service and that families should have choices.
Over 96% of child care providers (private or non-profit) have opted into the government delivery system for child care. That also means opting into the government requirement for accessibility and inclusivity, says Dean.
Under this model, savings are passed through those child care operators to families, says Dean. Families can choose the child care that best suits their family. There seems to be a greater assurance for government that “good quality child care” is being delivered through ChildCare BC facilities.
Expanding the education ministry to include child care “was a signal that the government wants to approach lifelong learning for children and that starts with early childhood education and recognizing the transition into the K-12 system”, Minister Dean said in her podium responses to media today. Additionally, there is greater opportunity to provide before-and-after school care when the delivery system is under one ministry, and “benefits the whole school community” through shared learning opportunities.
In recent years, the federal government has started to help fund child care development. Joint provincial-federal funding has been available through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. This is a notable political achievement, as education and child care are technically provincial responsibilities.
Working with SD62:
“I really appreciate the work that SD62 has done to work in partnership with the provincial government,” said Dean. She noted how the Sooke School District (SD62) has delivered a child care facility within a brand new school in the west shore.
“The first five years are the most crucial in a child’s life,” said SD62 Board Chair Amanda Dowhy.
“Our board of education is proud to collaborate with the Government of British Columbia with the support from the Government of Canada to create more child care spaces for families in our district. These new spaces will offer children a place to thrive and grow, preparing them to become future learners in our schools,” said Dowhy.
“Space has long been a challenge for the Sooke School District,” said SD62 Board Chair Amanda Dowhy today. “Our schools are packed full and we are finding every single place that we can to put students. We’ve had to look at innovative ways to find new spaces for child care,” she said.
“Accessing the new spaces funds has allowed us to build new facilities within our existing school lots and that means we now have childd care on site where we previously haven’t had that within the brick and mortar frame of the school,” said Dowhy.
New spaces in the west shore:
Today’s announcement in the west shore highlighted some new spaces being planned and built in cooperation with the local municipalities and the Sooke School District (SD62).
Two new child care developments will take a couple of years to fully fund, build and fulfill with furnishings, equipment and training staff in these municipal areas. Together, 105 child care spaces will be added to support families in the local economy:
- Langford – 49 spaces: 24 for infants and toddlers, 25 for preschoolers (age 2.5 yr to Kindergarten), and 24 for school-age on school grounds; the location will be central within Langford near transit, says Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson.
- Metchosin – 56 spaces (12 for infants and toddlers, 20 for preschoolers (age 2.5 yr to Kindergarten), and 24 school-age on school grounds; the standalone building will be behind Hans Helgesen Elementary School, says Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse Little. [Possibly ready for Fall 2026 says SD62]
With a nod to the continual population growth of the west shore, Parmar said: “With more families making the Westshore home, this new child care centre and our commitment to building more is exactly what our community needs.”
Also with reference to population pressures, Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said: “As a young and rapidly growing community, it’s crucial to have enough affordable, high-quality daycare spaces for Langford families. Increasing the number of daycare spaces is a council priority as detailed in Langford’s first strategic plan. We thank the Province and the federal government for recognizing this critical need in our community and providing funding support.”
Affordability:
Child care is seen by the BC NDP government as being served under the affordability umbrella — within their people-first politics that has changed the landscape of the BC economy over the past eight years. That would include dropping the user-pay Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums, stabilizing ICBC auto insurance rates, increasing the BC Family Benefit, and during the pandemic providing some specific supports for workers (as well as keeping schools open where child care support was required).
$38 million has been saved by families in the west shore due to affordability supports from the BC government in the past eight year, said Parmar, calling this “massive savings” for residents of his riding.
As for local emphasis, these investments are “the largest investment in child care in the west shore’s history”, said Parmar, noting the hard work done by Dean as the Minister of Child Care and the SD62 school district to arrange for 105 spots to open in the west shore.
Hulitan for Indigenous family support:
Today’s announcement was held at the Hulitan Early Years Centre where 73 new child care spots are already spoken for, opening in September: 24 for infant/toddler, 24 for preschool age, and 25 for before-and-after care.
This particular centre is for Indigenous families through the Hulitan Family and Community Services Society. Parmar noted how the building frontage at 2125 Sooke Road is handy for parents as they commute to work. The building shares property with Colwood Elementary School and the Westshore Centre for Learning and Training (Coldwood campus).
Hulitan Executive Director Kendra Gage gave VIPs and guests a tour of the spacious modern facility interior and outdoor learning and play area.
Minister of State for Child Care Mitzi Dean noted that when the Hulitan facility opens in September it will be fully staffed. During today’s tour there was some staff training going on, getting ready for the September opening.
“The important work of early childhood educators shows up in the children,” says Dean. “We’re making a difference in the lives of families, children and their futures,” she noted at the end of her formal remarks.
===== RELATED:
- Continuing child care space success in BC says Dean (May 9, 2024)
- Child care in BC contributes to social & economic fabric (May 1, 2024)
- SD62 Superintendent Paul Block pleased with provincial support (March 14, 2024)
- Mitzi Dean announces more $10-a-day child care spaces (February 10, 2024)
NEWS SECTIONS: BC PROVINCIAL ELECTION 2024 | SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT 62 | CHILDREN & CHILDCARE