PORT COQUITLAM – New Democrat MLA Mike Farnworth says that the new Irvine Elementary in Port Coquitlam will include sixty new licensed childcare spaces to benefit even more families, helping parents return to work, go back to school or pursue other opportunities.
“Adding childcare spaces in the re-build of Irvine Elementary will ensure that the new facility can serve families in our area all that much better,” said Farnworth, MLA for Port Coquitlam. “The previous Liberal government neglected to make needed investments in child care, which left families struggling to find spaces for their kids. Creating new spaces in elementary schools and other facilities is part of our government’s commitment to making child care accessible and affordable for families all around B.C.”
The Province is investing $24.3 million for a new, seismically upgraded replacement of Irvine elementary. An additional investment of $2.4 million through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund will enable the creation of the sixty new childcare spaces in the building. Of the spaces, 10 will be group child care, 10 preschool, and 40 group child care (school age).The proposed childcare facility will open at 6:30 am, offering flexible drop-off times for working parents. Recent changes to B.C.’s School Act make it easier for school districts to work with the Province to integrate new child care spaces into schools.
The announcement of this local investment comes as part of a milestone in the provincial government’s Childcare BC plan. The BC New Democrat government has created nearly 16,800 new licensed spaces in the past two years, the fastest in the province’s history, and has invested over $17.6 million in expanding access and reducing the cost of child care in Port Coquitlam. The Childcare BC plan has helped parents save up to $1,600 a month, per child, with a total of over $9.5 million being returned to Port Coquitlam parents through the Affordable Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.
The BC NDP government is working to keep people safe and healthy, while planning a long-term recovery to build B.C. back stronger.
Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/22726