In 2017, Columbia Basin Trust launched a $3.6-million program to help maintain and create new child care spaces in the Basin, train more Early Childhood Educators and provide advisory services to child care providers.
Over the past five years, the Trust has helped improve the quality and safety of 300 child care spaces through its social grants program. The Trust identified early childhood and childhood development as one of its 13 strategic priorities following extensive public consultation in 2014/15.
Over the next three years, the Trust’s new Child Care Support Program will provide:
- Capital grants to support improvements to existing facilities and construct new child care spaces
- Training support for Early Childhood Educators to help fill workforce gaps and meet professional development needs
- A Program Advisor to support child care providers and work with the sector to find solutions for common business challenges
