The B.C. government has announced it will invest in more than 70 new child care spaces to give Invermere more affordable options for families.
The Provincial Government said this will allow parents to have the time to return to work, school, or explore other opportunities.
“Accessible, affordable child care is not only good for families, it is also key to creating a vibrant local economy,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “We know parents throughout the province, and especially in rural areas, have been struggling to find quality affordable child care for too long. By bringing child care closer to home, we are not only giving parents more choices, we are making Invermere a more attractive place to live, work and raise a family.”
Because of a partnership between Childcare BC’s New Spaces Fund and Columbia Basin Trust, 72 new spaces will be created by Dragonfly Discovery Centre. Spaces will include 24 school-age spaces, 20 for preschool children, 16 spaces for 30 month-old to school-age children, and 12 spaces for infants and toddlers.
“The provincial funding has helped meet a critical need for more licensed child care spaces for all ages in the Columbia Valley,” said Charlotte Streicek, owner, Dragonfly Discovery Centre. “It’s also creating a learning environment that builds respect and understanding for the self, each other and the environment as the life system that supports us all.”
The Province says that it has funded almost 90 affordable child care spaces in Invermere since Childcare BC New Spaces Fund launched in July 2018.
