City of Kamloops responding to staff daycare needs with new childcare facility

KAMLOOPS — Finding child care is no easy feat in Kamloops, with long wait lists and limited spaces available for the city’s growing population. However, the City of Kamloops has received grant funding to create a new daycare facility for city staff with families.

The grant money comes from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, which is a blend of provincial and federal funding.

The Lorne Street facility at the Station Plaza is going to be renovated and is expected to be open in August of 2024. The idea stems from surveys that were done with city staff who shared how important finding child care has become.

After the survey information was collected, Colleen Quigley, the city’s Human Resources and Safety Director, says it became clear that they had to explore their options.

“Staff were really concerned about being able to take shifts. They were concerned about promotional opportunities and we had some away on parental leave who were really concerned about the ability to get child care that would allow them to return to work,” says Quigley.

City employees will have priority access to the centre, but they will pay for the service. Thirty-six spots will be available (12 spaces for age 0 to 30 months and 24 additional spaces for age 30 months to school age), and those that aren’t filled by children of city employees will be opened up to other families in the community.

“For us, this was a small way to open up space,” reiterates Quigley. “It is at no cost to the taxpayer, the fund is covering all of the startup costs, the non-profit, which is Saltair Childcare Society, will take over the operations, and our staff will pay market rates to attend the childcare centre.”

After the space is renovated, the new childcare facility is expected to host a grand opening on August 1, 2024.