ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund

Last updated on April 9, 2025


The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is instrumental in creating thousands of new licensed child care spaces throughout B.C., improving access to child care for families who want affordable, quality care. The fund is an integral pathway for public sector child care providers to create accessible and inclusive child care spaces.

The New Spaces Fund is currently closed and not accepting applications.

Program update for April 2025

  • Thank you to applicants for your interest in creating new licensed child care spaces to improve access to child care for families in B.C. Our goal is to fund as many quality child care spaces as possible to meet the high demand for child care throughout the province
  • In 2024-25, the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund received more applications than available funding. While we recognize that there is a high demand for new child care spaces, not all projects could be selected
  • Projects that best met the established criteria, program intent and available budget, have now been selected and the ministry has begun to inform applications of funding decisions
  • Some projects require more review and approval due to their scope and complexity. Decisions are still pending on a small number of applications and applicants will be contacted as funding decisions are made
  • Funding is directed towards projects that align with ChildCareBC priorities, provide good value for money, and create spaces in areas with the highest need. Refer to section 6.3 in the funding guidelines
  • Applications were reviewed thoroughly against the program’s criteria, including care type, underserved regions, priority populations, funding distribution, construction timelines, and project costs
  • The ministry is currently reviewing new mandate commitments, provincial child care data and feedback from communities and the child care sector to inform next steps for future space creation. Information about the New Spaces Fund will be shared with the sector when available
  • If you have not already done so, we encourage you to sign up for the ChildCareBC Bulletin to receive child care sector updates directly to your inbox 

Funding recipients

The following information applies to all ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund recipients:

  • Funding recipients, including school district recipients from 2023-24 and prior years, can submit their completed forms to CCCF@gov.bc.ca
  • School district funding recipients for 2024-25 forward can provide all project updates through the Capital Asset Planning System (MyCAPS). Please reach out to the Regional Director and Planning Officer Team for more information

Affordability initiatives 

Organizations that receive space creation funding agree to participate in current and future ChildCareBC affordability initiatives, including Child Care Operating Funding, the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, and the Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement

Information for school districts

The 2024-25 and 2025-26 calls for submission are now closed.

The ministry continues to select 2024-25 submissions and has begun to notify school districts if they have been selected to move forward. Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified. Additional information about 2025-26 calls for submission will be provided in the coming weeks.

School districts with questions about capital funding for child care or capital concept development can contact their Regional Director and Planning Officer team. School districts with questions about child care operational planning and programming can contact the Child Care Community Development team at ccdevsupport@gov.bc.ca

For more information, refer to the Capital Plan Instructions.

Program documents

All funding recipients, including those from previous years, use the forms outlined in this section.

2024-25 intake information 

Eligibility

The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund helps to create, expand and relocate child care centres proposing to create new licensed child care spaces. The following applicants are eligible to apply.

  • Indigenous Governing Entities
  • Local governments
  • Public bodies including health authorities, boards of education, public post-secondary institutions and Crown corporations
  • Not-for-profits and Indigenous not-for-profits
  • First Nations schools
  • Other eligible independent schools

Funding is not available for occasional care, child minding, recreational care, preschool, family or in-home multi-age license types. 

The complete list of eligibility requirements can be found in section 6 of the funding guidelines:

Key priorities

The ministry focuses space creation investment in alignment with provincial priorities and commitments under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement

Funding

Applicants to the New Spaces Fund have access to two funding streams: the major capital grant and minor capital grant.

Funding recipients are expected to anticipate any and all potential project risks prior to applying and are to manage their project budget throughout the course of construction. If you experience escalating costs, contact the New Spaces Fund team to discuss your situation.

Fees related to project management are eligible for funding, so long as the project manager is a third party at arm's length from the project and applicant. Project management must be contracted out for their fees to be eligible for provincial funding. As these are considered professional fees, they must not exceed 15% of the total eligible costs. 

Application process and important timelines

The 2024-25 ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund is now closed, and the ministry is no longer accepting applications.

School district applications for 2025-26 child care capital project requests are now closed. For more information, refer to the Capital Plan Instructions.

For guidance on your child care project, please contact the Child Care Development team at the Ministry of Education and Child Care.

Before applying to the New Spaces Fund, applicants are encouraged to consult with local First Nations on their plans. This is one way to support development of projects that serve all members of the community and an opportunity to initiate or strengthen relationships with First Nations governments on whose territory the space is to be developed.

Evaluation process

Applications are reviewed for their completion, quality and against key priorities.

The ministry may contact applicants for clarification on their application or to request additional information before making a funding decision. The ministry may also contact experts in other ministries for input to ensure the review process considers the unique needs of each community and project.

All applicants are notified of the outcome of their application, with successful applicants invited to enter into a New Spaces Fund Funding Agreement with the ministry. Once the funding agreement is complete, the recipient will receive funding according to the disbursement schedule and will be required to start the project. To help ensure fair and equitable access to capital funding, school district requests are considered at the same time as other applications to the New Spaces Fund.

Frequently asked questions

 

Contact information

Office:

  • 1-888-338-6622 (option 5) – toll free
  • 250-356-6501 – in Greater Victoria

Mailing:

  • PO Box 9788 Stn Prov Govt,
  • Victoria BC V8W 9S5

Email: