Spring 2026 Expansion Update
The Pemberton Child Care Society would like to provide a further update to the community regarding the status of the daycare expansion project.
Since our last update, our management team and Board have continued working closely with the Province regarding the inclusion of the new expansion spaces in the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program. We have been in active discussions and negotiations with the program since December and are currently awaiting a final decision.
This decision represents a critical step for the Society, as it will allow us to finalize the funding model needed to hire additional staff and fully open the new licensed childcare spaces. As previously shared, we are navigating a process that is somewhat uncharted. The $10 a Day program was originally designed for centres already in operation and does not yet have clearly established pathways for incorporating new centres or expansion spaces that have not yet begun operating.
In the meantime, the new centre space has been opened with a small cohort of children who have aged out of our toddler program and needed to be moved into an age-appropriate room, in accordance with licensing regulations. This movement has allowed the Society to keep the facility active under its childcare licence while we continue working toward securing the funding required to operate the full expansion programming. No new children have been onboarded into the expansion. Once funding is confirmed, we will move forward with hiring the additional educators required to operate the expanded programs and fully utilize the licensed capacity of the spaces.
While we had hoped to have more definitive news to share by now, we want to remain transparent with the community about where things currently stand. Our team continues to stay in regular contact with provincial representatives and program administrators as we work toward a resolution.
We also understand the eagerness within the Pemberton community to see this much-needed expansion of childcare services open. To ensure consistent and accurate communication, we kindly ask that any questions regarding the expansion be directed to the PCCS Board ([email protected]) or PCC management. Our educators are not involved in the administration of the expansion project and are not able to provide updates on its status.
We remain committed to opening the expansion and increasing access to high-quality licensed childcare spaces for families in Pemberton. We sincerely appreciate the community’s continued patience and support while we work through these final steps.
We will provide another update as soon as more information becomes available.
Thank you for your patience and support as we work towards opening these much needed childcare spaces.
💛
Pemberton Child Care Society Board and Management
Since our last update, our management team and Board have continued working closely with the Province regarding the inclusion of the new expansion spaces in the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program. We have been in active discussions and negotiations with the program since December and are currently awaiting a final decision.
This decision represents a critical step for the Society, as it will allow us to finalize the funding model needed to hire additional staff and fully open the new licensed childcare spaces. As previously shared, we are navigating a process that is somewhat uncharted. The $10 a Day program was originally designed for centres already in operation and does not yet have clearly established pathways for incorporating new centres or expansion spaces that have not yet begun operating.
In the meantime, the new centre space has been opened with a small cohort of children who have aged out of our toddler program and needed to be moved into an age-appropriate room, in accordance with licensing regulations. This movement has allowed the Society to keep the facility active under its childcare licence while we continue working toward securing the funding required to operate the full expansion programming. No new children have been onboarded into the expansion. Once funding is confirmed, we will move forward with hiring the additional educators required to operate the expanded programs and fully utilize the licensed capacity of the spaces.
While we had hoped to have more definitive news to share by now, we want to remain transparent with the community about where things currently stand. Our team continues to stay in regular contact with provincial representatives and program administrators as we work toward a resolution.
We also understand the eagerness within the Pemberton community to see this much-needed expansion of childcare services open. To ensure consistent and accurate communication, we kindly ask that any questions regarding the expansion be directed to the PCCS Board ([email protected]) or PCC management. Our educators are not involved in the administration of the expansion project and are not able to provide updates on its status.
We remain committed to opening the expansion and increasing access to high-quality licensed childcare spaces for families in Pemberton. We sincerely appreciate the community’s continued patience and support while we work through these final steps.
We will provide another update as soon as more information becomes available.
Thank you for your patience and support as we work towards opening these much needed childcare spaces.
💛
Pemberton Child Care Society Board and Management
Fall 2025 Expansion Update
To Our Pemberton Community,
The Pemberton Child Care Society would like to provide an update to the community regarding the current status of the daycare expansion. We are happy to report that the Society was able to take over ownership of the building this September from the Village of Pemberton. We have now moved into the final phases of getting our funding model approved and hiring staff. There are significant challenges with these critical steps and our management team has been in contact with local Government officials in the hopes they can assist. The PCC board would like to provide an update on our current situation to the community for full transparency.
Pemberton and many other communities across B.C. are facing a critical shortage of qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). Local recruitment efforts have been, and continue to be exhausted, and international hiring has become increasingly difficult due to reduced BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draws, higher eligibility thresholds, and the significant cost of pursuing Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).
At Pemberton Children’s Centre, we currently employ 17 staff but need 10–11 more to fully open our new licensed programs. Despite extensive recruitment efforts, only one qualified Canadian applicant has applied, all others require immigration sponsorship.
We are actively urging the Government to consider an LMIA exemption for fully qualified ECEs as a matter of critical Canadian interest. This change would help stabilize the ECE workforce and ensure families in Pemberton, and across the province, have continued access to high quality childcare.
As a non profit centre who has entered into the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, we are also working through the process to include the expansion under our current Funding Agreement. The $10 a Day program was initially created to assist daycares already in operation. As the PCC expansion has yet to begin operating and as the $10 a Day program doesn’t have clear guidelines to incorporate new (not yet operating) centres, we are running into uncharted territory and therefore delayed timelines, not to mention strike actions across government.
Our management team has been working tirelessly and our board has been assisting where possible to move through these challenges. There has been some progress though nothing is moving as quickly as we all would like. We would like to acknowledge the assistance from our exceptional management team as well as our local BC MLA’s office. We appreciate the patience from the community and will continue to work towards the shared goal of opening the centre.
Sincerely,
Pemberton Childcare Society Board of Directors
The Pemberton Child Care Society would like to provide an update to the community regarding the current status of the daycare expansion. We are happy to report that the Society was able to take over ownership of the building this September from the Village of Pemberton. We have now moved into the final phases of getting our funding model approved and hiring staff. There are significant challenges with these critical steps and our management team has been in contact with local Government officials in the hopes they can assist. The PCC board would like to provide an update on our current situation to the community for full transparency.
Pemberton and many other communities across B.C. are facing a critical shortage of qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). Local recruitment efforts have been, and continue to be exhausted, and international hiring has become increasingly difficult due to reduced BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draws, higher eligibility thresholds, and the significant cost of pursuing Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).
At Pemberton Children’s Centre, we currently employ 17 staff but need 10–11 more to fully open our new licensed programs. Despite extensive recruitment efforts, only one qualified Canadian applicant has applied, all others require immigration sponsorship.
We are actively urging the Government to consider an LMIA exemption for fully qualified ECEs as a matter of critical Canadian interest. This change would help stabilize the ECE workforce and ensure families in Pemberton, and across the province, have continued access to high quality childcare.
As a non profit centre who has entered into the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, we are also working through the process to include the expansion under our current Funding Agreement. The $10 a Day program was initially created to assist daycares already in operation. As the PCC expansion has yet to begin operating and as the $10 a Day program doesn’t have clear guidelines to incorporate new (not yet operating) centres, we are running into uncharted territory and therefore delayed timelines, not to mention strike actions across government.
Our management team has been working tirelessly and our board has been assisting where possible to move through these challenges. There has been some progress though nothing is moving as quickly as we all would like. We would like to acknowledge the assistance from our exceptional management team as well as our local BC MLA’s office. We appreciate the patience from the community and will continue to work towards the shared goal of opening the centre.
Sincerely,
Pemberton Childcare Society Board of Directors