THE 2024-25 intake of the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is open for applications until August 2, 2024, the Ministry of Education and Child Care announced on Thursday.
The New Spaces Fund has created thousands of new licensed child care spaces throughout B.C., improving access to child care for families. Since 2018, government has funded more than 37,000 new licensed child care spaces, with more than 18,000 of these spaces open throughout the province.
This year, there are two grant funding streams for applicants: major capital grants and minor capital grants. These funding streams replace the previous new spaces fund primary stream and school-age-care-on-school-
Major capital funding helps build, renovate and expand child care centres, with requests of more than $500,000. Minor capital projects are renovations and equipment-only projects anticipated to be complete within one year, with requests of up to $500,000.
Eligible organizations include Indigenous governing entities, local governments, public bodies, including health authorities, public post-secondary institutions and Crown corporations, not-for-profits and Indigenous not-for-profits, First Nations schools and other eligible independent schools looking to apply for space-creation funding.
New this year, school districts will use their existing Capital Asset Planning System to request funding for child care projects on school grounds, in addition to education capital funding. This makes it easier for school districts to plan for and create more child care on school grounds for families in their district. It will also help the ministry consider school district child care projects alongside education projects.
Before applying to the New Spaces Fund, applicants are encouraged to consult with local First Nations about their plans. This is one way to support development of projects that serve all members of the community. It is also an opportunity to initiate or strengthen relationships with First Nations governments on whose territory the space will be developed.
The New Spaces Fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The Province and the Government of Canada invested more than $260 million in 2023 to fund the creation of new licensed child care spaces in high-need areas in B.C.
Learn More:
For more information about the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund:Â www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/
For more about ChildCareBC:Â www.gov.bc.ca/childcare
BACKGROUNDER
New Spaces Fund application criteria
Application criteria is set out in the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund Funding Guidelines and aligns with provincial priorities and with federal direction outlined in the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to focus on spaces that are run by public and non-profit organizations.
All applications will be reviewed as they are received. Final funding decisions will be communicated to all applicants once the intake has closed and the program has had a chance to review all incoming applications. Timelines may vary depending on application completeness, project complexity and cost considerations.
Priority areas include organizations creating:
* Infant/toddler child care spaces
* School-age spaces
* Child care spaces in under-served regions
* Spaces serving priority populations, including:
* Families with low incomes
* Children with support needs
* Indigenous children and families
* Black and other children and families of colour
* Francophone children and families
* Families new to Canada
* Young parents (25 years and younger)
* Fully inclusive and accessible child care spaces that allow children of all abilities to participate meaningfully; for example, accessible physical design and application of program inclusion policy.
* Spaces with non-standard hours of care, such as: extended hours of care before 6 a.m. and after 7 p.m., weekend care, overnight care, care provided on statutory holidays or care provided on other days of school closures.
* Spaces offering specialized programming for children with support needs, Indigenous children and families, francophone children and families, and/or young parents (25 years and younger).
* Projects that support the creation of as many spaces throughout the province as possible.
* Under the major capital grant funding stream, projects that start construction, including site development, within six months of funding approval and those that are scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2028.
