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Starting a day care facility in British Columbia is not only a rewarding venture but also a much-needed service in our growing communities. However, launching such a business can come with financial challenges. Fortunately, there are grants, subsidies and funding opportunities available to help child care start-ups succeed. If you’re planning to open a day care facility in Metro Vancouver, here’s a comprehensive guide to funding resources and how StartCan Business Consulting can assist you in accessing them.
Child care facilities require considerable investment, from acquiring a suitable location to meeting licensing requirements and purchasing age-appropriate equipment. Financial support can help ease this burden and enable you to focus on providing high-quality care. With the right funding, you can:
What it is:
Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) is a program that provides funding to licensed child care facilities in British Columbia.
Purpose:
The program aims to help child care facilities cover their day-to-day costs, including wages for staff, utilities, rent, and supplies.
Eligibility:
The program is for licensed child care facilities, not for occasional child care, child minding, residential care, or recreational care.
How it works:
Child care providers need to apply and be approved to participate in the program to receive funding.
Funding:
The funding is based on the number of children in care and the type of service. Click HERE to learn more CCOF.
The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) is a BC provincial program that enhances child care affordability by offering funding to eligible, licensed child care providers to reduce and stabilize families' monthly child care fees, with no need for families to apply.
Purpose:
The CCFRI aims to make child care more affordable for families by providing funding to licensed child care providers.
How it Works:
Participating providers receive funding to reduce and stabilize monthly child care fees, which are passed on directly to families through reduced costs.
Who Benefits:
Families of children in licensed child care facilities that participate in the CCFRI automatically receive the savings.
No Application Required:
Families do not need to apply for the fee reductions; the savings are automatically applied by the participating providers.
Provider Opt-In:
Providers opt in to receive funding when they apply for Child Care Operating Funding.
Savings:
Families can save up to $900 per month per child for full-time care, with pro-rated amounts for part-time care.
Click HERE to learn more CCFRI.
The Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement (ECE-WE) in British Columbia is a program that provides eligible licensed child care facilities with funding to increase the wages of their Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) by up to $6 per hour, as part of the province's Early Care and Learning Recruitment and Retention Strategy.
Purpose:
The ECE-WE aims to improve recruitment and retention of ECEs by increasing their wages.
Funding:
The program provides funding to eligible licensed child care facilities to supplement ECE wages, with the goal of increasing the median wage for ECEs to about $29 per hour.
Eligibility:
ECEs working at eligible licensed child care facilities receiving Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) may be eligible for the wage enhancement.
Wage Enhancement:
The wage enhancement is a top-up of $6 per hour.
Specialized Certification Grant:
In addition to the wage enhancement, eligible ECEs can apply for the new Early Childhood Educator Specialized Certification Grant to recognize specialized education.
Application:
Child care providers need to apply and be approved to participate in the ECE-WE to receive funding.
Click HERE to learn more CCFRI.
Purpose:
The ChildCareBC Maintenance Fund helps licensed child care providers cover emergency repairs or replace essential items to ensure children’s health and safety and prevent facility closures.
How It Works:
Providers can request funding for both repairs and replacements in a single application.Funding must be used for approved expenses related to emergency repairs.Recipients must submit a Financial Reconciliation Report with invoices and proof of payment.
Who Can Apply?
Licensed child care providers in BC, including:
How to Apply
Review eligibility & funding guidelines.Gather required documents. Submit an application online.
Click HERE to learn more about Maintenance Fund – Emergency Repair & Replacement.
This program supports the creation of new licensed day care spaces across British Columbia. It provides funding for building new facilities or renovating existing spaces to meet child care licensing standards.
Grant Amount: Up to $3 million for non-profit organizations and up to $1.5 million for private providers.
Eligibility: The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is available to Indigenous governing entities, local governments, public bodies (such as health authorities and school boards), not-for-profit organizations, and certain independent schools.
*****Please note, funding is not available for private daycares, occasional care, child minding, recreational care, preschool, or family/in-home multi-age license types.
For full eligibility details, refer to the official funding guidelines.
2024-25 Major New Spaces Fund Funding Guidelines (PDF, 778KB)
2024-25 Minor New Spaces Fund Funding Guidelines (PDF, 770KB)
Many municipalities in BC, including North Vancouver, Vancouver and Surrey, offer grants to support the creation of day care spaces. These grants often cover renovations, safety upgrades, and equipment purchases. Click HERE to read through the information about the child care grant program provided by the city of North Vancouver.
Navigating the complexities of grants and funding applications can be overwhelming. That’s where StartCan Business Consulting comes in. Our experts will:
Take the first step today and CONTACT StartCan Business Consulting today to learn more about how we can help you access funding and start your child care journey. Together, we’ll build a brighter future for children in British Columbia!
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