School district representatives and local Indigenous leaders gathered together last month to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new childcare centre in Port Alberni.
School District 70 (Pacific Rim) recently received $7 million from the province's ChildCare BC New Spaces Funding to create 128 new child care spaces at Wood Elementary School in Port Alberni. This will include 16 spaces for infants and toddlers, 32 spaces for children aged 30 months to school-age, 72 spaces for school-age care and eight multi-age spaces to accommodate sibling groups.
On Sept. 16, 2024, school district representatives were joined at Wood School by representatives from Hupacasath First Nation, Tseshaht First Nation and the Alberni Clayoquot Métis Society for a groundbreaking ceremony as construction officially began.
Katherin Charbonneau, the Director of Early Learning and Childcare at SD70, said that this event was not just the start of construction, but a meaningful tribute to the land and a step towards reconciliation.
"Right from the start, we've been engaged with our community partners and we've been thoughtful about what this space could look like," she said. "We wanted to uphold the cultural traditions of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. As we're disturbing the earth, we want to be sure we're honouring the earth and giving respect to it."
Charbonneau says the school district worked closely with local elders and knowledge keepers, especially Tseshaht First Nation elder Ann Robinson, to plan the groundbreaking ceremony. She acknowledged that colonialism has deeply impacted Indigenous cultures, erasing practices and traditions. In response, the school district has made it a priority to honour and revitalize those traditions.
"We are working closely with knowledge keepers and elders to ensure that the centre's design reflects and celebrates Indigenous heritage, integrating cultural elements and natural features that will make every child and family feel respected and valued," said Charbonneau. "As we're reflecting on the past, we're looking toward the future and what this space can mean. We want it to be a culturally relevant childcare space for all of our children."
A Child Care Needs Assessment conducted by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District in 2019 found that there are not enough licensed child care spaces in the ACRD. The top space needs reported by parents were for infants and toddlers and before and after school care. In addition, the Early Childhood Care and Education sector itself is also facing a staffing crisis.
"When we started this project, we looked at what was needed," said Charbonneau. "There's a huge need for infant-toddler care and school-age care. There are just not enough spaces."
Construction on the childcare centre is expected to be complete by next summer. After acquiring a childcare space licence and staff, Charbonneau says the centre could be open as early as September 2025.