Background

In 2018 the District of Sechelt, in partnership with the Town of Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast Regional District, applied for a grant from the Union of BC Municipalities to fund a study on childcare needs on the Sunshine Coast. An assessment was completed in collaboration with the Sunshine Coast Childcare Resources and Referral program, Sunshine Coast Credit Union, Vancouver Coastal Health, Capilano University and School District 46 and other organizations, in addition to connecting with families directly. In February 2020 The Sunshine Coast Childcare Action Plan (“Action Plan”) was completed and the childcare space targets were endorsed by the District of Sechelt.

The Sunshine Coast Childcare Action Plan reflects significant feedback from the community, collected via surveys of 440 families, and 18 childcare providers, as well as deeper insights gained through focus groups and interviews with various stakeholders.

The Action Plan describes the childcare situation on the Sunshine Coast as a “childcare crisis”, and highlights the need for governments and others to work together.

Key recommendations are summarized as follows:

1. Endorse the 2029 targets for licenced childcare, for an additional:
   • 900 spaces for before- and after-school care for children 6-12 years old
   • 380 full-time day care spaces for children 0-3 years old
   • 180 full-time day care spaces for children 3-5 years old
2. Advocate for a universal childcare system
3. Develop initiatives to attract and maintain early childhood education workers
4. Create a streamlined process for childcare in BC
5. Create a Joint Childcare Council for the Sunshine Coast.

To date the District of Sechelt has acted on recommendations 1, 2 and 3 through the following initiatives:

1. Endorsement of Action Plan targets:
   • The Action Plan targets for licensed childcare were endorsed by Council in 2020.
   • To increase the number of childcare spaces available in Sechelt, in 2020 The District applied for a grant through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund to construct a new 75 space daycare facility in Sechelt. The grant application was not successful and submitted a second attempt at the application in 2021. The results of the 2021 application have not been announced yet.
   • The District currently supports childcare through the zoning bylaw, and can request childcare spaces as a community amenity for major new developments. Updates to the zoning bylaw could include expanding the areas which permit childcare uses and providing more detail and support for increased opportunities.
2. Advocate for a universal childcare system:
   • Sunshine Coast local governments and community organizations have received copies of the Action Plan.
   • In 2020 the District of Sechelt Council met with the Minister of State for Child Care to discuss daycare staff shortages and the need for childcare staff to earn a living wage, as well as the $10/day program to be available to all families.
3. Develop initiatives to attract and maintain early childhood education workers
   • In 2021 the District of Sechelt Council met with the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training through UBCM to discuss the need for collaboration between provincial ministries to improve programming for early childhood education programs.
   • Council representatives have been meeting with Capilano University regularly over the past two years to develop improved ECE programs and incentives to try to increase the number of trained childcare staff on the Sunshine Coast.