Child care report recommends short, long-term solutions

A report on child care expansion at UVic recommends cancelling or adjusting some existing programs to provide more spaces for over-subscribed groups and considering an expansion of child care into the Queenswood property in the future.

The report, drafted by the Working Group on Child Care Expansion with the support of a child care consultant, explored opportunities to expand current capacity and develop new space that did not require increases to Child Care Services’ operating subsidy, currently at $510,000 annually.

The report recommended eliminating the current kindergarten program and adjusting some full-time spaces to part-time to accommodate 19 more children immediately. This change coincides with the province’s change to full-day kindergarten and provides more vacancies while maintaining the number of child care’s licensed full-time spaces.

In order to implement these changes, it is likely that fees will be increased, moving the fees closer to child care fees at other BC universities to cover the cost of implementing the program chances. UVic child care costs are currently less than those at other BC universities.

There are currently about 250 names on the Child Care Services wait list with the average parent waiting one to two years before being able to place a child.

The recommendation to expand child care into the Queenswood property requires further consideration of several factors, including zoning, building code requirements, construction costs and compatibility with other potential programs at Queenswood before a final decision can be made.

The university plans to meet with the Queenswood neighbours later this month to discuss its proposed re-zoning application for the property. Read the entire report under the ‘news’ section at www.uvic.ca/vpac/ or www.uvic.ca/vpfin/