Excerpt from the draft plan:
A priority for the City has been and continues to be the creation of additional childcare spaces. A total of 299 new spaces for children 0-4 years old have been or will be completed in the 2012-2014 period, of which 217 spaces are in City-owned buildings4 and 82 spaces in non-City-owned buildings (supported with City capital grants)5. In addition, the 3 City-owned daycare projects have started or been approved and will be completed during the course of the next capital plan, creating 98 additional spaces for children 0-4 years old6. There are additional spaces that have been committed but not completed in the 2012-2014 period.
The following childcare targets are proposed for the 2015-2018 Capital Plan: 500 new spaces for children aged 0-4 years old and 500 new spaces for children aged 5-12 years old. Staff is proposing to allocate $20 million toward the creation of 400 daycare/preschool spaces (City contribution of $50,000 per space), with the remaining 100 spaces anticipated to be provided as in-kind Community Amenity Contributions. In addition, $5 million is earmarked for the creation of 500 before & after school spaces (City contribution of $10,000 per space).
The City will work with Park Board, Vancouver School Board (VSB), non-profit agencies and other partners to deliver these childcare spaces, including exploring with the VSB the option of providing new or additional childcare when existing elementary schools are renewed and new elementary school are built.
Total investment proposed for childcare: $5 M for renewal projects and $25 M for new childcare.