Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) has received $1.8 million through a provincial grant to fund a new daycare facility in the community.
The grant was awarded through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, to help families access inclusive care. Mayor Al Raine said he is thankful to the province for suggesting SPMRM apply for the funding and for approving their application.
“That brought the biggest smile to my face when I heard we were successful on that one, because it’s really needed in the community,” Raine said.
In early 2021, SPMRM received feedback in an Official Community Plan stakeholder survey that gave them an idea of how many families would benefit from more available childcare options. Using the feedback, the municipality drafted their grant application to accommodate 40 to 50 children.
SPMRM was awarded $40,000 per space, for a total of nearly $1.8 million. Raine said this should be enough to cover all the capital costs of building the new facility.
The grant requires that construction must begin within six months. Thankfully, SPMRM already has land set aside near the east end of parking lot five where the daycare can be built.
“[Municipal] staff are active right now with engineering and design work,” Raine said. “The goal will be to try to have [the daycare] up and running for the end of the year.”
In the Thompson-Cariboo region, the ChildcareBC New Spaces Fund also supported Kamloops, Merritt and Williams Lake.
Help us bring you more local news
SPIN has been able to serve Sun Peaks as its sole news source for over 20 years thanks to the overwhelming support of our community. Join over 126 of your neighbours and become a monthly or yearly member so that we can continue to regularly publish the digital newsletters and stories our readers rely on.
