Mission – A 67-space child care centre and Child and Youth Excellence Hub broke ground on Tunbridge in Cedar Valley Monday (June 24) morning. The project is a collaboration between Mission Association for Community Living (MACL), the Province of B.C., and the City of Mission and strives to bring much needed child care spaces for children with extra support needs, as well as important services for local families.
Construction of the child care centre will be funded by grants from the Province’s ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund and UBCM. The City of Mission sold MACL the land at a discounted price and provided project financing.
The first floor will be a child care centre that aligns with Mission Association of Community Living’s mission, which is to support individuals with developmental disabilities, children who require extra support, and their families.
“We are thrilled to partner with the City of Mission and the Province of B.C. to open a 67-space child care centre and Child and Youth Excellence Hub,” said Dawn Hein, CEO of Mission Association for Community Living. “Our goal is to create an inclusive environment that meets the diverse needs of families in our community, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
The project came together as a partnership between MACL and the City of Mission, with support from Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission, and Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission.
“Council is extremely proud to see this project moving forward,” said Mayor Paul Horn. “We have heard from our neighbours that there is a dramatic shortage of quality child care, and that there is a need to offer more services in the Cedar Valley area. We are very grateful for the opportunity to work with Mission Association for Community Living to ensure that this is a fully inclusive child care centre. The project would not have come together without the partnership and advocacy of our two MLAs, Pam Alexis and Bob D’Eith. Their help made all the difference in overcoming the many challenges involved in this project.”
Construction is expected to be completed next year.
See ceremony photo gallery on mission.ca.
Mitzi Dean, Minister of State for Child Care – “Children, families, and the community of Mission will benefit from these new child care spaces. By partnering with the City, we are taking action to ensure that families can access reliable, affordable, high-quality, and inclusive child care for years to come”.
Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission – “With so much of Mission commuting outside of the community each and every day, additional child-care spaces are essential in supporting parents and children with extra needs,” said Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission.
