Business group pleased with child care funding

Sep 18, 2020 | 3:13 PM

The B.C. government is getting accolades from a local business group after announcing funding for several child care proposals in Greater Vernon.

The initiatives involve the City of Vernon, Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Maven Lane, Vernon School District and the District of Coldstream.

When combined, the projects will create 556 spaces.

Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce president Krystin Kempton said they’re extremely pleased with the announcement, saying the expanded options will help businesses in attracting and retaining staff which is directly related to an employee’s ability to find care for their children.

“Not only will expanded child care options allow employers to fill much-needed positions, workplace productivity is improved when working parents have access to quality child care,” Kempton said. “Often, parents are balancing the need between the overall quality, safety, availability and cost of child care.”

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The chamber is waiting for details on when the new child care facilities will open.

Through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, eligible applicants can receive up to the following amounts per project:

$3 million for up to 100 per cent of project costs for public-sector organizations and Indigenous governments;
$1.5 million for up to 100 per cent of project costs for Indigenous non-profit societies;
$1.5 million for up to 90 per cent of project costs for non-profit societies, including non-profit child care providers and child development centres;
$250,000 for up to 75 per cent of project costs for child care providers that are businesses or corporations.

Vernon:

The City of Vernon is partnering with the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club (OBGC) to create 182 spaces at two facilities: • 96 spaces in a new building on the current OBGC site. • 86 spaces at Lakers Child Care.
The North Okanagan Child Care Society is creating 50 spaces at Maven Lane.
The School District #22 (Vernon) Board of Education is receiving funding for three projects, which will create a total of 156 spaces, including: 52 spaces at Alexis Park Elementary school; 52 spaces at Ellison Elementary school and 52 spaces at Mission Hill Elementary school.

Coldstream: