The YMCA will operate Kamloops' new 36-space childcare centre

The City of Kamloops says it has found a new operator for its downtown childcare center.

In early September 2024, the city said the daycare proposed for the Station Plaza on Lorne Street had been delayed and the agreement with a previous operator had been ended.

The city had said it had “lost confidence in the operator’s ability to meet their contractual obligations.”

On Wednesday, the city announced it would be partnering with the YMCA as the service provider.

“The YMCA is thrilled to be engaging with the City of Kamloops to open a new and much-needed child care facility for families in Kamloops,” said Lynette Mikalishen, director, Child Care Service, YMCA BC

The 36-space centre, which is funded through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, is meant to help address the growing need for child care among city employees and the wider community, the city said in a news release.

The release said city employees will have priority access to the service but will not get a subsidized rate.

An official opening date will depend on licencing but should be known and announced in the coming weeks.

There will be spots available in two age categories, which includes 12 spaces for infants/toddlers and 24 spaces for children aged 3-5.

Anyone who is interested in the centre is being advised to sign up for the waitlist, which can be found here.

“With the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, offering access to child care is now a cost-effective way for the City to maintain and attract the workforce we need to provide core services to Kamloops residents,” said Jennifer Howatt, the city’s human resources and safety director.

“The City remains committed to supporting child care accessibility and looks forward to welcoming families to this much-anticipated facility.”