Vancouver Opens First Licensed Weekend Child Care Program for School-Aged Children
Subhadarshi Tripathy
9/14/20262 min read
Vancouver’s first licensed weekend child care program for school-aged children has opened, offering a new option for parents and caregivers who work Saturdays and Sundays.
The program launched Saturday at the Champlain Heights Community Centre and provides care for children between the ages of five and 12.
It operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT on both Saturdays and Sundays.
Staff and child care advocates say the service is intended to address a longstanding gap for families whose work schedules do not fit conventional weekday child care hours.
Weekend Space Was Being Underused
Robert Baxter, president of the Champlain Heights Community Association, said the idea emerged after organizers realized the existing child care facility was largely unused on weekends.
“We realized that our child care centre was being underutilized on the weekends,” Baxter said.
As a parent himself, Baxter said he understands how difficult it can be to find reliable care outside the standard work week.
The program has been designed with flexibility in mind.
Parents do not have to commit to every weekend and can instead register for a single day or for as many weekend dates as they need, allowing families with rotating or irregular schedules to use the service when necessary.
Baxter said that type of flexibility remains uncommon in licensed child care.
‘Not Everyone Works a Nine-to-Five Job’
Vancouver Coun. Sean Orr said both the cost and availability of child care continue to be major concerns for families across the city.
“Not everyone works a nine to five job,” Orr said. “It’s super important to have child care that’s available at unconventional hours.”
He said weekend programs could be particularly useful for newcomers who may not have relatives or established support networks nearby to help care for their children.
The service could also benefit families where parents work in industries that routinely require evening or weekend shifts.
Advocates Call Program ‘A Big Culture Shift’
Sharon Gregson of the Coalition of Childcare Advocates of B.C. said licensed weekend care has been needed for years.
“It’s still a big culture shift to think about licensed child care on the weekends,” Gregson said.
She said workers in health care, emergency services, hospitality and real estate are among those who have traditionally struggled to find care that matches their schedules.
According to Gregson, about 75 per cent of children in British Columbia do not have access to licensed child care, with limited operating hours among the factors contributing to the shortage.
“This is a really excellent start,” she said.
Program Costs $65 Per Day
The Champlain Heights weekend program costs $65 per child per day.
Baxter said one advantage of using a licensed program rather than an unlicensed arrangement such as a nanny or babysitter is that qualifying families can access provincial child care subsidies.
Parents using the weekend program are eligible for B.C.’s child care fee reduction initiative and may also qualify for other provincial benefits that help offset child care costs.
Organizers Hope Other Centres Follow
Baxter said he hopes the Champlain Heights model can be replicated elsewhere in Vancouver and across the province.
“We’re hoping this can be an example that really gets the ball rolling to fill this gap,” he said.
For families working outside the traditional Monday-to-Friday schedule, advocates say the opening represents a small but significant step toward making licensed child care more closely reflect the realities of modern working life.
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