(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Child Care Spaces

Thompson-Cariboo to receive 336 licensed child care spaces through provincial program

Apr 21, 2022 | 11:28 AM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. government has announced 336 licensed child care spaces in the Thompson-Cariboo region.

In a news release Thursday (April 21), the province said 144 of the new spaces will be in Kamloops: 72 at Happyvale Child Care Centre (24 infant-toddler and 48 2.5 years old to kindergarten) and 72 at Ralph Bell Child Care Centre (24 infant-toddler and 48 2.5 years old to kindergarten). All spaces will be located on school grounds.

“We recognize the pressing need to be innovative when considering how to increase the number of affordable, accessible and high-quality child care spaces offered to families where they need them,” Heather Grieve, Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education chair states.

Elsewhere in the Thompson region, 28 spaces will be at Helew’u’ Child Care Society in Merritt (eight infant-toddler, eight 2.5 years old to kindergarten, and 12 school age) and 45 will be at Sun Peaks Community Daycare (16 infant-toddler, 24 2.5 years old to kindergarten, and five school age).

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In the Cariboo, 119 spaces will be at the Kidcare Early Learning Centre in Williams Lake (24 infant-toddler, 25 2.5 years old to kindergarten, and 54 school age, and 16 multi-age).

According to the province, parents in Kamloops, Merritt, Sun Peaks and Williams Lake will save $29 million, $5 million, $14 million, and $10 million, respectively, due to its ChildCareBC program.

The 2022-23 intake of the new space applications will open in spring and summer 2022.