The City of Fernie will get $19 million for a pilot project to create new child care spaces and affordable housing prioritized for early childhood educators.
City officials said the funding comes from the federal and provincial governments.
The project will see the creation of 100 new childcare spaces and about 27 affordable housing units.
“Innovative approaches to create more affordable spaces for families and children and support ECEs in their careers, like the one announced in Fernie, are key to the success of a Canada wide early learning and child care system,” said Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
Fernie was picked as a potential community for a pilot project to quickly add new child care spaces and affordable homes targeting the child care sector.
“This project is an excellent example of how we’re working with communities to identify child care needs and conveniently co-locate child care into new affordable housing developments to enable parents to more easily pursue work, school and other opportunities,” said Grace Lore, Minister of State for Child Care. “The fact that these housing units will be available for Early Childhood Educators is an innovative way of attracting people for in-demand ECE positions in Fernie.”
After the assessment process, a piece of land on a City-owned plot next to the Fernie Aquatic Centre was chosen.
“We are extremely grateful for the leadership and funding for this project from the Federal and Provincial Governments, and BC Housing,” said Mayor Nic Milligan. “Fernie, like many communities, has a significant need for this type of innovative pilot. Combining much-needed housing and child care space is a wonderful opportunity for our community. We are proud as a Council to be supporting this project by dedicating lands and advancing it as a priority with staff.”
According to city officials, $10 million is coming from the Canada-British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and British Columbia New Spaces Fund, while the remaining $9 million is coming from BC Housing.
The project will use specially designed modular structures from NUQO Modular, an Indigenous-owned Vancouver-based designer of steel-modular buildings.
Meanwhile, New Commons Development, a non-profit real estate development company, will lead the construction.
“This pilot project combines two things desperately needed in B.C. communities: affordable housing and childcare,” said NUQO President Rory Richards. “NUQO are passionate supporters of quality, affordable child care and having the opportunity to advance this type of pilot project is a huge win for B.C. families. Our NUQO team have worked hard to develop proprietary designs for childcare that focus on support for both the child and their caregivers.”
City officials said the Elk Valley Child Care Society supported the project by advocating to the Ministry of Education and Child Care, and the Elk Valley Family Society.
“As a former child care educator with 10 years of experience and a new parent left with no child care options, this project was a major priority,” said Elk Valley Child Care Society President Léonie Galarneau. “I was pleased to see the City of Fernie and the Ministry of Education and Child Care supporting my proposal and I’m excited to be part of a solution that will make a big difference in a lot of people’s lives.”
“We are so excited to be working on this project,” said Katey Taylor, Executive Director with the Elk Valley Family Society Fernie has a significant need for housing and childcare, and we are thrilled to be part of a creative solution that will have such a positive impact on the community.”
City officials said the land will be provided through a long-term lease to the Elk Valley Family Society.
The lot includes an undeveloped gravel parking lot and a small section of the Dirt Jumps.
“Planning for a comprehensive redevelopment of the Dirt Jumps is also getting underway in partnership with the Fernie Trail Alliance who manage the area, with funding provided through the project site works budget managed by New Commons Development,” said city staff.
