More parents in the Okanagan will be able to return to work, go back to school or pursue other opportunities as the Province invests in more than 790 new licensed child care spaces, more than 100 of which are expected to open by the fall.
"As we enter the fourth year of our 10-year Childcare BC plan, thousands of families are already feeling the life-changing impact of having affordable, quality and inclusive child care," said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. "As we continue to build towards an inclusive universal child care system, these new spaces will make it easier for parents, especially mothers, to pursue their own goals, while also being part of B.C.'s economic recovery."
The Province is supporting 12 projects to create 794.5 new licensed child care spaces in Hedley, Kelowna, Osoyoos, Penticton and West Kelowna. In addition, nine other projects have received funding in these communities since the launch of Childcare BC in July 2018.
New child care spaces are on the way for families in the following communities:
* Hedley (16)
* Kelowna (567)
* Osoyoos (24)
* Penticton (95.5)
* West Kelowna (92)
"Penticton Indian Band is excited to be one of the successful recipients of the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund to construct a new daycare in the Penticton Indian Band community," said Kathy Pierre, education director, Penticton Indian Band. "The daycare is a welcomed opportunity to provide quality child care for families in the Penticton area and will be open to anyone looking for affordable and reliable daycare."
The Province has funded almost 26,000 new licensed spaces since the launch of Childcare BC - more than 6,000 of which are now open.
An additional 4,370 spaces, funded through the 2017 Budget Update and the Early Learning and Child Care agreement with the Government of Canada, takes the total number of new child care spaces funded since July 2017 to more than 29,300.