BC Govt: Bill 19 to Increase Child Care on School Grounds
Photo by Gautam Arora
The Government of BC has introduced Bill 19, the School Amendment Act, in the current sitting of the legislature, designed to enable school districts in BC to support families with more child care on school grounds.
In a release issued on October 7, 2025, the Government of BC announced:
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, government tabled Bill 19, the School Amendment Act. If passed, this act will enable school districts to provide child care to children of all ages, including infants and toddlers. Districts also will be allowed to provide care during non-school days, such as professional development days, and winter, spring and summer breaks.
These changes could also improve the ability of school districts to support sustainable child care programs or expansions by ensuring districts can recover reasonable costs, similar to how non-for-profit centres can operate. School districts will work with local communities and First Nations to inform expansion planning and how best to meet community needs.
CUPEBC responded positively to the announcement, noting, “While the legislation does not mandate school districts to provide childcare, if passed the bill will allow districts to add childcare spaces on school grounds, opt into the childcare program subsidies, and recover reasonable costs, similar to how non-for-profit centres operate, to support sustainable programs or expansions of existing programs. Bill 19 is an important step forward in expanding public childcare.”
On the 10aday.ca website, Sharon Gregson posted a supportive response by Child Care Advocates of BC to the provincial government initiative, with five notes to be born in mind as the bill moves through the legislative process:
We welcome the announcement by the BC government to table Bill 19, the School Amendment Act, which removes barriers for school districts to provide child care for children of all ages on school grounds throughout the year.
This policy shift has the potential to advance a more seamless continuum between early learning and K–12, improve access to quality child care for families, and make better use of existing public infrastructure.
Enabling school districts to provide child care is a smart way to reduce capital costs and ensure stability in the child care sector.
Operating during non-instructional days and winter/spring/summer breaks is key to supporting working families.
We urge the BC government to commit to the following:
Sustained funding – School Districts need predictable operational funding with access to capital funds for retrofits and expansion.
Early Childhood Educators – Recognize ECEs as valued professionals with a publicly funded fair wage grid to address recruitment and retention.
Equity approach – Rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, as well as lower-income neighbourhoods, must not be left behind. The province should ensure that school-based child care does not inadvertently widen geographic or socio-economic gaps.
Cost recovery for sustainable operations – Provide clarification on allowing districts to recover “reasonable costs” to ensure transparency and consistency across the province.
Affordability - The next step is to ensure that existing and new child care programs have fees set at no more than $10aDay.
At the time of publication, Bill 19 is in its first reading.