Image Credit: Early Learning Society of Kamloops

By Victor Kaisar

New Daycare Operator

Early Learning Society of Kamloops taking over operations of Sun Peaks Community Daycare

Jan 19, 2025 | 3:25 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Early Learning Society of Kamloops will be taking over operations of the Sun Peaks Community Daycare in the near future.

Executive Director Karyn Sutherland says the 52-space facility for kids under the age of 12 has been operated by the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality after it opened in late 2023.

“The existing staff have done a wonderful job of getting the centre up and running,” Sutherland said. “The municipality was looking for somebody with more experience in delivering early learning services to assume operations and build on what they had successfully built for themselves.”

Sutherland says the Early Learning Society of Kamloops – formerly the Children’s Circle Childcare Society – is “excited” to extend its reach into the Sun Peaks area. It’s not clear yet when the takeover in Sun Peaks will happen, though it is expected to be in early 2025.

“It’s quite a growing, vibrant community and so we’re quite excited to be a part of that as part of our new mission to go out into the community and provide as much support as we can in terms of increasing the number of accessible, quality, inclusive space in Kamloops and in neighbouring communities,” Sutherland said.

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Sutherland says there are still some vacancies available at the facility at 5036 Valley Drive in Sun Peaks. She says people looking to get their kids into care should visit Early Learning Society’s website for more information.

“The challenges that they’ve been having is staffing the facility and so that is where we can lend some help,” Sutherland said. “We have quite a robust hiring system in place and so we’re working on trying to get that solved for them so that they can open the remaining spaces.”

The Early Learning Society currently operates a 170-space facility at 1500 9th Ave. in Kamloops. It is also in the process of trying to build a second facility next door.

“It is still difficult out there and we still have huge numbers on our waitlists and the society sees that as part of our mandate to try and support the community because that is so important to us,” Sutherland added.

“We see this [Sun Peaks facility] as the next step for us and we’re really hopeful that we’ll get some news about our adjacent site [in Kamloops] to be able to create more spaces there so parents have choice when they choose childcare based on what works for them.”