Child Care Community Inventory and Space Creation Plan
This page was last reviewed on August 14, 2020.
View the Child Care Space Creation Plan on the Plans, Reports and Studies Library page.
Through 2019 and early 2020, the Village of Cumberland is undertaking a child care community inventory and developing a child care space creation plan to help support the community both in the healthy development of our children and in community economic development (by enabling parents to return to work).
The Village has hired Queenswood Consultants to develop the inventory and action plan. During the summer and early fall 2019, the Queenswood team, Jane Worton and Greg Awai, have met with local child care providers, parents, and organizations and individuals interested in providing child care. In corporation with a planning team that is working on a similar project for the Comox Valley Regional District, Jane and Greg, developed a survey to better understand the need for child care in Cumberland specifically and in the larger Comox Valley.
On Saturday, September 21, 2019 the team presented the findings of their survey and proposed actions to create additional child care spaces for feedback.
Below are the poster boards that were presented at the open house. The first one is a summary of what was learned through the on-line survey and a review of available statistical information. Poster boards 2 to 8 are ideas that were presented for discussion with the community.
2 Idea: Supports to start day cares
3 Idea: Supports to start babysitting co-ops
4 Idea: Support daycare in United Church
5 Idea: Facility on municipal property
Based on the survey results and comments received, the next steps are for Queenswood Consulting to develop a draft space creation action plan in consultation with Village staff and present that plan to Council. The plan will identify achievable targets for Cumberland to improve community access to quality child care over the next ten years.
Recommendations may initiate policy and bylaw changes to the Official Community Plan, the Zoning Bylaw, the Business Licence Bylaw and associated fees and charges to improve and encourage future space creation and an environment where child care is further encouraged and supported by municipal systems.
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