53 prototype projects around the province will offer childcare that will cost families a maximum of 200 dollars per month per child.

On the Sunshine Coast, the sites that will offer the 10 dollar a day childcare are the non-profit Esprit Daycare in Gibsons and the privately-owned West Sechelt Tiny Tots Daycare in Sechelt. No locations in Nanaimo and area were chosen to participate.

The prototypes are being funded through an investment of 60 million dollars under the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver said under the initiative, child care providers at the new prototype sites will receive government funding.

“More than 50 childcare facilities will be converted to universal childcare prototype sites. The sites will model childcare at a cost of 10 dollars a day per child or less by helping organizations with funding to cover their operational and administrative costs reducing parent fees up to 200 dollars per month.”

He says, “In return, these sites will share their feedback with the Government of British Columbia to help inform future implementation of universal care. Our purpose for this is finding out what universal, high-quality childcare may look like for B.C. families.”

In all, parents of about 2,500 children will benefit from the prototype projects.

The Province selected the sites after a call for applications in June.

The Province said, as well, each site will receive a one-time quality improvement grant in 2019 to help enhance the quality of the programs it delivers.

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