Richmond will have 137 new affordable childcare spaces by the end of 2020, according to an announcement by the provincial government.
River Run Early Care and Learning Centre, on River Road near Shell Road, will receive $74,319.87 to open a total of 61 new spaces, while St. Dulwich Academy on River Road near Capstan Way will receive $249,661.36 to open 67 new spots.
“If you look at the projects being funded in Richmond, you’ll see a lot of them serve under-served communities,” Katrina Chen, minister of state for childcare, told the Richmond News.
“They’re culturally inclusive; they provide support for children who require extra support,” Chen added, regarding the childcare centres, both in north Richmond.
Chen added that she’s “really excited” about the program at River Run — located in a city-owned building and operated by the Atira Women’s Resource Society.
“(That program) also has Indigenous programming and supports families that have experienced abuse,” she said.
The centre will also provide daily lunches, access to health-care specialists and donated clothing and household goods for families who need them.
“So I think we definitely need to make sure we fund projects that can continue to be community assets and that support the needs of the community.”
Staff at the St. Dulwich Academy are able to speak Chinese and Korean, and will work with local organizations to provide extracurricular activities for the children — for example, martial arts, music and dance — according to the ministry. There will also be a nutrition program.
According to a ministry spokesperson, St. Dulwich should open between May and June.
Richmond has approximately 6,400 childcare spaces, according to the city’s 2018 assessment, meaning it was only meeting about 25 per cent of its need for childcare. However, said city spokesperson Clay Adams, that number likely increased in 2019 to about 27 to 30 per cent, although an assessment for last year is forthcoming.
Meanwhile, areas such as Bridgeport, Steveston, Seafair and Shellmont don’t have enough spaces for children aged zero to two, according to the 2018 assessment.
“The reality is, child care is a challenge,” said Adams. “It is not just a case of funding. It involves finding suitable locations, operators, staff and affordable ways to deliver the care.”
The new spaces are funded through the Childcare BC New Spaces fund, which launched in July 2018.
According to the ministry, the New Spaces fund is investing $221 million to create up to 22,000 spaces by 2021. So far, 10,400 spaces have been created through the fund, with 280 in Richmond.
The fund has previously created spaces at Little Wings and Kids & Company Richmond.
The government also launched an 18-month pilot program for $10-a-day childcare, which will wrap up in April, with one of the test sites located in Richmond at Alderwood House School, on London Road near No. 2 Road.
