Richmond schools could add 84–108 child care spaces by fall

Richmond School District could expand licensed child-care capacity by between 84 and 108 spaces by fall 2026, adding before- and after-school programs at five elementary schools as the district works to address chronic shortage.

Planned expansions are at City Centre, McNeely, Kidd, McKay, and John Diefenbaker elementary schools, though confirmation for City Centre and McNeely is still pending, according to the Richmond Board of Education's June 17 public meeting agenda. The expansion would supplement the 1,542 licensed child-care spaces already operating in Richmond schools.

Trustee David Yang questioned whether the new spaces would meaningfully address demand. "Even if a space opens up, there are stories out there where families end up on waitlists for years," he said, citing conversations with local child-care providers.

A 2021 City of Richmond report found 60 per cent of surveyed parents struggled to find child care and placed their children on waitlists. A 2024 report showed more than half of 218 respondents waited at least one year for a space, while about 28 per cent reported waits exceeding two years.

School-age child care availability has improved modestly. In 2020, Richmond offered 14.2 licensed group care spaces per 100 children; by 2023, that had risen to 15.6 spaces per 100 children.

District administrator Catherine Jule said staff are still analyzing occupancy data collected from providers on May 1 and expect to share updated findings with trustees once analysis is complete. Trustees expressed interest in reviewing current occupancy rates and waitlist data when available.