The child care centre at Cascade Heights Elementary was the site of a major announcement by the provincial and federal governments about fee reductions for infant and toddler care.
Co-hosted by Cascade Heights YMCA Childcare Centre and the Burnaby School District, the announcement by B.C.’s Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen, Minister of Education and Child Care Jennifer Whiteside, and Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould took place on September 23. In her remarks, Minister Whiteside acknowledged the importance of community at all levels coming together to support families:
You see this beautiful child care centre and you see what we can do when we work together.”
The centre, itself, is one of many in the Burnaby School District resulting from a plan approved by the Board in October 2019 designed to help be part of the solution with the shortage of child care spaces. The Burnaby Board of Education plan expanded room for centres on school properties, increasing the number of spaces for children by 773 – all through partnerships with local child care providers and funding by the Province of BC and City of Burnaby.
Parent Tania Cubells also spoke at the government announcement about fee reductions. She has children at both Cascade Heights Elementary and at the adjacent YMCA child care and talked about how she appreciates the location, convenience, and what both the centre and announcement mean for her family.
I’m very happy and lucky that my daughter is in a high-quality care centre and appreciate the government working with it to lower the fees.”
The Minister gave a special shout-out to the school, as well, for hosting and cheered on the Cascade Tigers – congratulating the Girls Tigers Basketball Team for winning the district championship three years in a row.
Learn more about child care on properties in the Burnaby School District here.
Read the media release from the Government of BC regarding their September 23 announcement here.
Posted September 2022