Indigenous-specific, trauma-informed childcare facility being built in Colwood

Soon to be built childcare facility being constructed in Colwood B.C.

Much-needed child-care spaces are now under construction in Colwood with an opening date slated for the winter of 2025.

Construction kicked off with a ceremony to bless the grounds of Colwood Elementary School on Monday.

The new childcare centre will soon become the very first Indigenous-specific, trauma-informed child care facility in the Capital Region.

There will be 48 spaces spread out between infant, toddler and three to five-year-olds. There will also be 25 before and after school care spaces available.

“We’re hoping to have Indigenous children access this so it’s a safe environment for them to grow and flourish and then go on to the school system,” said Kendra Gage, executive director of the Hulitan Family and Community Services Society, which will be running the centre.

The new centre is being made possible by a number of organizations along with different levels of government.

An instrumental partner has been the Sooke School District. It owns the land where the centre is being built.

“The funding comes through the Ministry of Education and Childcare, through their new spaces funding,” said Scott Stinson, superintendent of the Sooke School District. “As a school district we’ve partnered with Hulitan, we applied to that new spaces funding and it comes to the school district.”

“So we own the land, we’re building the building and we’ll give a long term lease for operating the facility to Hulitan.”

The Hulitan society will only have to pay for the operating costs to run the facility, and that will keep fees low for parents.

There is a fundraising effort underway with a goal $500,000 to outfit the centre with a playground and essential furnishings to run the daycare.

Donations to help are being accepted through the United Way of Southern Vancouver Island.