Childcare in Burnaby, BC: Choosing and Arranging Care

Choose care around your child and schedule

Start with your child’s age, intended start date, days per week and earliest drop-off and latest pickup. Add the school name if you need school-age care. Give each operator the same requirements so you can compare their answers.

The City lists centres with different age categories. Cascade Heights YMCA Child Care & Kids’ Club and Marlborough Early Years Care list infant and toddler care alongside care for children aged 2.5 to 5. Capitol Hill Children’s Centre lists the older age category. Yukon Crescent Children’s Centre lists school-age care as well as younger-child programs. [1]

Treat these listings as leads. Ask the operator whether it has an opening for your child’s age and start date, how it manages its waitlist, and whether it can cover your full schedule. Confirm a school-age program’s pickup arrangements and coverage for school closures before accepting a space. [1]

Screen the provider before paying

Fraser Health publishes routine inspection reports and summaries of substantiated complaint investigations. Its licensing team checks supervision, staffing, hygiene, medication, food services, facilities, policies and other regulatory areas. Read the findings and ask the manager how staff addressed any concerns. [2]

Fraser Health says its online information may not be complete or current at all times. It recommends contacting the manager, observing the program or speaking with the assigned licensing officer. Ask to visit during care hours and discuss pickup security, illness rules, allergies, medication handling and emergency contacts. [2]

For an unlicensed care arrangement, ask how many children the provider cares for and whether those children are related to the provider. Fraser Health permits an unlicensed provider to care for at most two children, or one sibling group, not related to the provider, at one time. Ask about licensing status rather than inferring it from the program’s name or setting. [2]

Compare the amount you will pay

Request a written quote showing the base parent fee, provincial fee reduction, optional meals or transportation, deposit, and any extra-hour charges. Ask for cancellation terms, deposit refund conditions and the closure calendar. Keep a copy of the agreement before transferring money.

B.C.’s Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative covers eligible children aged 12 and under at participating licensed providers. Families do not apply, and the province does not income-test this reduction. Part-time reductions depend on hours and days of enrolment. Confirm participation with the operator because the provincial search may omit providers with applications in progress. [4]

The province permits deposits to hold spaces, but providers receiving base funding cannot charge waitlist or waitlist-related fees. Participating providers may charge for optional meals and transportation; families can opt out and receive standard care. Providers in the fee-reduction program must offer at least 9.5 hours of care per day before charging for extra hours. [4]

Use the chart as a reference for monthly reductions, not a quote for care. The province generally sets a $200 monthly floor after these reductions for full-time care, with limited exceptions. Your provider’s starting fee, care category and schedule determine your remaining charge. [4]

Plan the benefit application and first days

The Affordable Child Care Benefit uses income and other eligibility criteria. Families earning up to $111,000 may qualify; families above that amount with substantial family-size or support-needs deductions may also apply. Applicants must meet residency and status requirements and provide a qualifying reason for care, such as work, school or attendance at a licensed preschool. [5]

Apply before the end of the month in which you need care. For a start during October, the province’s rule means applying by October 31. Renew each year and when your qualifying reason changes. Treat an estimator result as a planning guide rather than approved funding. [5]

Before the first day, agree on a settling-in plan and who may collect your child. Discuss feeding, naps, toileting and communication preferences. For a sitter or nanny, ask for references and evidence of relevant first-aid training, and put hours, duties, pay and cancellation terms in writing.

B.C. monthly fee reductions for full-time group care

Match your need to the next step

Your hiring checklist

1. Write down your child’s age, start date, care days and pickup deadline.
2. Ask each operator to confirm an age-appropriate opening and waitlist process.
3. Review inspection findings and discuss unresolved questions with the manager.
4. Visit the program and discuss supervision, allergies and authorized pickup.
5. Obtain a written fee breakdown and deposit refund terms.
6. Check benefit eligibility and plan your application before the care month ends.
7. Agree on a settling-in plan and backup care for closures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a City listing mean a centre has openings?

The City lists program categories and capacity and directs families to operators. Ask the operator about an opening for your child’s age, schedule and start date before making plans around a listed centre. [1]

Do I apply for the provincial fee reduction?

Families do not apply for the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative. Participating licensed providers pass reductions through their fees. You must apply for the separate Affordable Child Care Benefit and meet its eligibility rules. [4] [5]

Can a provider charge me to join a waitlist?

Providers receiving provincial base funding cannot charge waitlist or waitlist-related fees. The province permits deposits to hold spaces. Ask which charge the provider proposes and request the refund terms in writing. [4]

Can I leave the recreation centre during childminding?

You must remain in the facility. City childminding serves newborns through age five and admits children on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to capacity. [3]