As more parents of young kids struggle to find affordable child care, one Vancouver School Board trustee wants to see before- and after-school care offered where the learning takes place.
It’s a tough reality faced by many parents: long waitlists for out-of-school care, with costs eating up a significant portion of household income.
“Every single parent is compromising in some way,” said Sarah Kerfoot.
Kerfoot’s son is set to start kindergarten at Edith Cavell Elementary this fall, but she’s already being told there will be no space for him at a dedicated local after-school care program, limiting her ability to take on full-time work.
“I am working freelance from home, so I’ll probably just do 3 o’clock pick up,” said Kerfoot.
“I would much rather work for someone, just for the reliable income, rather than working for yourself.”
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VSB Trustee Jennifer Reddy says she’s keenly aware of the problem.
“Kindergarten to Grade 4 seems to be the most stressful, where they can’t get space at all,” said Reddy.
With a new motion she introduced, Reddy hopes it will change.
The motion calls on the board to allocate $50,000 to conduct a feasibility study into what it would take to operate its own before- and after-school programs on site at schools across Vancouver.
“We have over 100 sites in the city, so there would be, possibly, opportunities to use those spaces after 3 p.m. to deliver out-of-school care.”
Parent Lyndsey Roberts says the motion makes perfect sense as schools are already built for children.
“The facility is there. It would instantly open up so many spaces. Also, this is an opportunity for [Educational Assistants] to have full-time jobs with benefits, so it seems like a win-win,” said Roberts.
In Budget 2026, presented in February, the B.C. government allocated $330 million to expand childcare on school grounds.
Reddy’s motion will be formally presented to the VSB on April 20.