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The Phil Bouvier Family Centre daycare at 717 Princess Street was supposed to close this month but has received funding from the city and Central City Foundation to stay open.
The licensed childcare centre is operated by the Vancouver Native Health Society (VNHS) and has 49 spaces for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
The VNHS, Central City Foundation, Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and the City of Vancouver partnered to explore options to save the centre in response to concerns from parents.
Vancouver city council approved a $42,000 childcare grant through its 2018 Social Grant program, which includes an annual grant as well as transitional funding. Central City Foundation has agreed to cost share the transition funding. The MCFD is working with the Phil Bouvier Child Care Centre and its partners to ensure they have access to funding programs available through the province to support child care operations.
“Making sure that families have access to affordable childcare is a key priority for the City and we therefore shared the concerns of parents over the closure notice of the Phil Bouvier Family Centre Daycare,” says Sandra Singh, the city's general manager of arts, culture and community services.
“Keeping the 49 valuable childcare spaces available to families who need them most was a priority for us, and by working with our partners we are pleased that the centre will stay open,” says Singh.
The province is investing $1 billion in childcare and the interim funding ensures that the daycare remains open until new initiatives are implemented in September.
