Summary:

• Opportunities for new childcare facilities in the Garibaldi Estates must be carefully planned and addressed in the neighbourhood plan for future integration.
• Larger sites and creatively collocating childcare within mixed use and muti-family redevelopment provide important opportunities for new childcare facilities.
• To encourage and secure childcare amenities to meet community needs over time, the District will explore and pursue community amenity contributions or a density bonusing options.

Childcare in Squamish

Accessible, affordable and high-quality childcare are a critical need in the community. Childcare is critical for families and contributes to social and economic development. The Squamish Child Care Needs Assessment and Strategy 2018-2023 first quantified the critical un-met need for increased childcare space in the community. New childcare spaces are required throughout Squamish over the next 10+ years to improve access; the current access rate is 21% (21 licensed spaces per 100 children aged 0-12 years). The Child Care Action Plan established a “reach” target rate of 30% for access to care (30 spaces per 100 children) which is projected to require an additional 860 spaces over the next 10 years. The plan further recommends the District set targets for childcare spaces in each neighbourhood.

Childcare Opportunities in the Garibaldi Estates

Currently there are 57 childcare spaces offered within two childcare non-residential facilities within the Garibaldi Estates neighbourhood.

• 37 spaces - 2120 Diamond Road
• 20 spaces - 2262 Read Cres (Squamish Baptist Church)

The Childcare Action Plan proposes space creation focused at schools, near parks, neighbourhood nodes, connected with civic facilities, employment areas, and along the core transit network. New mid-sized childcare facilities require outdoor play areas, therefore larger sites are important opportunities to consider. Within the Garibaldi Estates best opportunities for childcare include:

• Redevelopment of the civic zoned properties as civic building incorporating childcare with increased density.
• Mixed-use redevelopment in the Diamond Head area.
• Townhouse redevelopment on larger parcels in the Estates East sub area.

Other contributions to childcare can be made through small scale residential childcare facilities in homes throughout the neighbourhood.

Redevelopment that could support childcare facilities provides one of the few opportunities to establish new childcare in the Garibaldi Estates neighbourhood. Muti-family developments provide important opportunities for new childcare facilities.

To encourage the provision of childcare facilities, policies within the neighbourhood plan could prioritize childcare as a community amenity contribution in rezoning applications, or a density bonus structure could be established that is based on the provision of childcare amenities.

Childcare Targets within the Garibaldi Estates

At the conclusion of stage 3 of the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Planning Process, once the sub area land use scenarios supported for inclusion in a neighbourhood plan are confirmed, staff will complete further analysis and projection of expected dwelling unit numbers to estimate the number of childcare spaces required to reach and provide at least 30% access. This will inform the basis for childcare space targets in the neighbourhood plan.

Emerging Idea: Establish childcare targets for the Garibaldi Estates neighbourhood based on expected land uses. Encourage creation of these childcare spaces through new development as community amenity contributions or using a density bonus structure.