The provincial government has announced 37 childcare spaces for the new Beaver Valley Child Care Centre in Fruitvale, as part of the redevelopment of the old middle school. A dozen spaces will be for infant-toddlers and the rest are for ages 2.5 to kindergarten.
“As a former early childhood educator myself, I know how important accessible and affordable child care options are to parents,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West.
“Families with young children face so many challenges, particularly as we navigate through the late stages of the pandemic. These new spaces in the Kootenays will make it easier for parents to find high-quality care that fits in their budget.”
Provincial funding, with contributions from the federal government and the Columbia Basin Trust, is supporting two child care providers to create new licensed child care spaces in Fruitvale and Kaslo.
In addition to these child care locations, 544 new spaces have been funded in the Kootenay since the launch of ChildCareBC in July 2018.
“People in the Columbia Basin have said that safe and affordable child care is important, and these projects are helping meet this need in small communities, where child care can be particularly hard to find,” said Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust.
“These new spaces will enable parents to work or dedicate themselves to other goals, helping local businesses and the well-being of the community. We thank the Province for its support and all the organizations involved for their efforts.”