Campbell River and Homalco families will soon benefit from increased child spaces with the construction of a new childcare centre.
According to the province, more than $260 million was invested in 2023 to fund the creation of a new 79 licensed childcare space facility which represents a commitment to ensure Indigenous children and families have full access to childcare in BC.
MLA for North Island says the new facility is a step in the right direction to make sure there is support for those who need it in the community.
“This new childcare centre will bring quality, affordable, inclusive, and culturally safe care to the Homalco community and will offer opportunities for families in the region,” she says.
The space is a partnership between the province and the Homalco First Nation, which the province says will include 24 infant-toddler spaces, 25 spaces for children 30 months to kindergarten age, and 30 spaces for school-age children.
Homalco chief Darren Blaney says there is much more this space can offer the community as well as being a safe space.
“It creates employment opportunities in our community and employment capacity building, as well as integration with the City of Campbell River,” he says. “This is the path of reconciliation, where we can provide care and cultural teachings within the childcare.”
Since 2018, ChildCare BC has accelerated space creation programs and have helped fund the creation of more than 39,000 licensed childcare spaces, with more than 600 of them being Campbell River and surrounding area.
The centre is expected to open in 2025.
