Sechelt council has voted to spend up to $9,500 in an effort to secure a grant to “build and outfit” a new childcare centre.
Mayor Darnelda Siegers brought the proposal forward at the Oct. 7 council meeting.
Siegers told council the grant could provide $3 million from Childcare BC’s New Spaces Fund to build a facility with 12 spaces for children up to 36 months old and 25 spaces for children 30 months to five years old.
The $9,500 would be needed, the mayor said, to pay for an architect and other consultants to prepare the grant application. It would be drawn from the district’s general operating contingency account.
If the grant comes through, the district would own the facility but have an external contractor operate it.
“I reached out to the YMCA in Vancouver and they have given us a verbal commitment that they would provide the service at the site,” Siegers said. “They have done applications like this already as well, and they are willing to help.”
She said the YMCA also told her it’s confident about being able to provide staff for a new facility.
Siegers said one of the sites under consideration is the district-owned property at 4602 Simpkins Rd. in Davis Bay, where the Kirkland Centre is located.
“We would use that site if it would be possible,” she said. “If we get approved, we would then look at other potential sites that would be similar, to be able to move it forward.”
Although all councillors present eventually voted in favour of applying for the grant and spending the $9,500, there were concerns raised during debate.
Coun. Matt McLean said he had concerns about the money coming from a contingency account usually used for emergency items or urgent requirements.
“This is not an emergency item, nor is it an item in our strategic plan,” he said.
Siegers responded by saying uncertainty because of the provincial election makes it important to move quickly because the next government, whichever party leads it, could decide to cancel the program.
“This is an opportunity for us to potentially totally build and outfit a childcare facility turnkey,” she said. “I don't know if, after the election, this program will still be available. That was one of the pieces behind me saying I’d like to see if we could get this… This may be the only opportunity we get for this grant. I know it's available right now, I don’t know what the long-term availability of it is.”
Coun. Alton Toth said he had mixed feelings about making the application. “I think the investment for the potential is a great value, but I worry about the concept of chasing grants.”
Toth also raised the possible impact to the project, if it goes ahead, of the Coast-wide shortage of qualified childcare workers.
“We know that the facilities that are here on the Coast are having staff shortages,” he said. “We may build a facility and have nobody who can operate it. Which is a great use of money that isn't ours, but not a great use of money overall. So I’m concerned about the staffing requirements.”
The deadline for the grant application is Nov. 1 and it’s expected the successful applicants will know by early next year.
The Sunshine Coast has already received money from Childcare BC’s New Spaces Fund.
A $2.66 million grant announced in late July will fund 67 new spaces at the Sechelt Family Resource Centre on Shorncliffe Avenue, the former the Sechelt Elementary School.
The YMCA, School District No. 46 and the shíshálh Nation are collaborating on that project, which is expected to open in summer 2021.
– With files from Sophie Woodrooffe
