The BC government continues to roll out new legislation in the first week back to work.

The Province has introduced legislation to enable school districts to offer more child care on school grounds.

“As a parent, I know that finding safe, convenient and affordable child care is a top priority for young families, but it’s not always easy,” said Premier David Eby.

“We are building a seamless child care system in our province that supports parents from the early years through to graduation. This legislation is the first step on the path to getting more child care on school grounds all across our province. Using our existing infrastructure and partnering with school districts is a smart, sustainable solution that puts existing resources to their best use for families.”

If passed, Bill 19, the school amendment act, will enable school districts to provide child care to children of all ages, including infants and toddlers.

Districts will also be allowed to provide care during non-school days, such as professional development days, and winter, spring and summer breaks.

The changes could also improve the ability of school districts to support child care programs or expansions by ensuring districts can recover reasonable costs, similar to how non-for-profit centres can operate.

If passed, this legislation will allow school districts to add child care spaces on school grounds and opt into the Province’s Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative program, which reduces the cost of child care for families by as much as $900 per child per month.

The Affordable Child Care Benefit is also available to reduce parents’ fees further and, in some cases, can eliminate fees altogether for the families that may need it most.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.