Recently, there have been three exciting provincial government announcements related to Early Childhood Education in Northwest BC:
April 16, 2024: Women’s transition housing, child care centre open in Kitimat
- Parents and guardians will have access to more child care, and women and children leaving violence will now have access to 44 homes, as part of a new housing development opening in Kitimat.
- The four-storey building includes a 12-bed transition house, 12 units of second-stage housing and 20 units of permanent affordable housing for women and their children leaving violence in Kitimat and the surrounding area.
- It will also feature a 24-hour child care facility on site.
November 28, 2023: More child care spaces, health-care supports for people in northern B.C.
- Among the funding recipients is Coast Mountain Children Society, a not-for-profit organisation providing care for infants, toddlers and school-age children in Terrace and Kitimat.
- Coast Mountain Children Society received $800,000 toward classroom renovations and staffing to create 52 new child care spots.
October 30, 2023: Increased wages recognize early childhood educators’ vital role
- Early childhood educators (ECEs) will receive an hourly raise starting on Jan. 1, 2024.
- Eligible ECEs working at participating licensed child care facilities will receive a $2-per-hour raise, on top of an existing $4-per-hour raise.
- This will bring the median wage for ECEs up to approximately $28 per hour.
