Child Care
Coquitlam’s Citywide Official Community Plan (Part 7.5 Child Care) recognizes that access to affordable, high quality child care facilitates early childhood development, enables parents to work and contribute to the local economy, strengthens neighbourhoods, and helps to build a more attractive, stable and complete community.
Child Care Partnership Strategy
The City of Coquitlam Child Care Partnership Strategy (PDF) was endorsed by Council on Dec. 6, 2021. The Child Care Partnership Strategy includes actions to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of child care in Coquitlam. An implementation plan provides the framework and timeline for these actions and the provision of annual progress reports.
Building Child Care Through the Development Application Process
To help mitigate the impact of new residential development on child care need in the community, and establish incentives to encourage the creation of child care facilities, on Sept. 26, 2022, Council endorsed:
- A Child Care Incentive Policy (PDF) to encourage the creation of new child care facilities through the zoning amendment process, and
- A Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Policy (PDF) that establishes how the reserve fund will be built up and how it can be used to support child care solutions.
Learn more about new child care incentives available for multi-family rezoning applications in this Child Care Incentives Brochure (PDF).
Child Care Grants
Not-for-profit and public child care operators creating new child care spaces in Coquitlam may apply for capital grant funding from the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund. Applications for a maximum of $2,500 per licensed child care space will be prioritized. Please see the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Policy (PDF) for more information about grant requirements and the application process.
Child Care Links
Childcare BC: Information on the different types of child care programs, finding and choosing child care, funding opportunities, opening or running a child care program, support for child care providers. The provincial government’s child care web portal.
Tri-Cities YMCA’s Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) program: Information and resources for parents seeking child care, and for child care providers.
Tri-Cities Kids Matter: Information and resources for parents and for people working with children from ages 0-12. Maintained by the Tri-Cities Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Middle Childhood Matters (MCM) Committees, comprising local agencies and public partners serving children and their parents in the Tri-Cities.
The Early Childhood Educators of BC: Provides professional development opportunities, training, and resources for early childhood educators across the province, and informs the broader community about their work. Maintained by the early childhood care and education profession throughout the province.