Partnerships to support new licensed child care spaces in BC
as published in the July 6, 2018 West Shore Voice News print-PDF edition
Sunday, July 8 ~ BC. To help families be provided with child care, Budget 2018 announced a $221-million investment in the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund. More details were announced July 6:
• Streamlined application process and a continuous intake, rather than fixed application dates, allows child care providers to apply for funding when they need it, even if they are planning longer-term projects. Helps ensure continual supply of licensed child care spaces.
• Boards of education to have 100% eligibility (up from 90%) of their total project cost ($500,000 maximum), for child care spaces they create.
• For the first time: prioritizing or targeting funding to public-sector partnerships — including local governments and boards of education — that are looking to create child care spaces with other non-profit providers. These partnerships may apply for up to 100% of the total cost of their project (to $1 million maximum). Parents will benefit from public projects that provide greater stability and help protect them from lease or fee increases.
• Successful applicants for Childcare BC New Spaces funding must participate in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative to help ensure that the new spaces remain more affordable for BC families.
• Child care spaces created by child development centres or Indigenous communities remain eligible for 100% their project costs, up to a maximum of $500,000. This will help ensure that children throughout BC will continue to have their physical and cultural needs met through programs that are tailored specifically for them.
• Not-for-profit organizations will be supported to create new child care spaces, with these organizations remaining eligible for up to 90% of their total project costs, up to a maximum of $500,000. Private child care providers remain eligible for 75% of the total cost of their project, up to a maximum of $250,000.
Info sessions coming soon: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund
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