COQUITLAM, B.C., Feb. 28, 2023 – The first year of Coquitlam’s award-winning Child Care Partnership Strategy is demonstrating that the right plan can make progress and bring more child care spaces to the community.
The Child Care Partnership Strategy provides a framework for Coquitlam’s approach to child care within the scope of local government responsibility and focuses on four key strategic directions: increase accessibility, improve affordability, focus on quality, and build partnerships. To mark the first anniversary of the strategy, which was approved in December 2021, Council received a progress report Monday afternoon.
Strategy Supported by Sound Policies
Notably, in September 2022 Coquitlam City Council approved two key pieces of supporting policy: the Child Care Incentive Policy and the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund.
The formal adoption of these two policies last fall are instrumental in facilitating new child care spaces in Coquitlam through development, and further make financial contributions in order to leverage Provincial funding.
Strategic Direction Guides Progress
Since the adoption of Coquitlam’s Child Care Partnership Strategy, the City has made progress in each of the four guiding strategic directions. Key highlights include:
- Using a Child Care Impact Assessment for all new development applications to estimate how many new child care space requirements the development will generate. In turn, developers are able to either build a child care facility on site, provide cash in lieu (which is then held in the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund), or propose an alternative solution for consideration.
- In 2022, four development applications included child care facilities which, combined, propose 405 new child care spaces in the community. Additionally, 12 development applications proposed cash-in-lieu in 2022, contributing an estimated $1.9 million to the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund.
- Ensuring parents can support or enhance their care giving plans through the City’s recreation and cultural programming including camps (e.g. summer, spring break, non-instructional days) and after school programs.
- Advocating to senior levels of government for improved affordability for child care. (Four facilities in Coquitlam are currently offering $10 a day child care spaces and in 2022 the Province made significant changes to support greater affordability in child care funding.)
- Creating materials and guides to help set consistent expectations for the design of child care when it is being proposed as a part of a development application. This includes a brochure summarizing the Child Care Incentive Policy and expectations.
- Building partnerships through Tri-Cities groups and committees focused on meeting the community’s child care needs.
- Partnering with School District 43 to work to consider increased partnership opportunities.
2023-2024 Work Plan
Building on this success, work is underway on the next phase of the strategy’s implementation for 2023 and 2024. This includes:
- Completing a comprehensive Child Care Procedure Manual to guide staff and applicants and provide clarity around requirements and expectations.
- Identifying incentives to help create child care spaces in areas with mostly low and mid-rise housing types (e.g. Burke Mountain).
- Continuing to focus on the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund by refining criteria and disbursement options for grants, monitoring fund amounts and presenting opportunities to use the funds.
- Considering including and/or co-locating licensed child care space on City lands or in a City facility.
- Updating the Zoning Bylaw to establish clear and consistent parking requirements at child care facilities.
- Continuing the partnership with School District 43.
- Continuing to act as the City’s coordinating team on this topic, and collecting good quality data that supports the implementation plan and direction.
About Coquitlam’s Child Care Partnership Strategy
Adopted in December 2021, Coquitlam’s Child Care Partnership Strategy provides a framework for City’s approach to child care within the local government scope of responsibility, recognizing the larger role of senior levels of government and community partners. The strategy is structured around four strategic directions and supporting actions, and an implementation plan to improve the accessibility, affordability and quality of child care in Coquitlam, including the use of incentives and other means. Learn more about the strategy at www.coquitlam.ca/childcare.
In July 2022, Coquitlam’s Child Care Partnership Strategy was awarded a Silver Medal for Excellence in Policy Planning by the Planning Institute of BC (PIBC).
To sign up for updates, visit www.coquitlam.ca/notifyme and subscribe to the Child Care Partnership Strategy list.
Media contact:
Genevieve Bucher
Director, Community Planning
604-927-3490
gbucher@coquitlam.ca