December 2, 2025 – Prince George, BC – School District 57 is Set to Open a New Child Care Facility in Mackenzie, BC
School District 57 is excited to announce the opening of a new 62-space child care centre at 32 Heather Crescent in Mackenzie, BC. The centre will offer:
· 12 spaces for children under 36 months
· 25 spaces for children aged 30 months to school age
· 25 spaces for school-aged children
This much-needed facility has been made possible through more than $6.2 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. This fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. British Columbia and the federal government signed an extension to the agreement for 2026-27 until 2030-31. Construction began on the site of the former Mackenzie Elementary School in September 2024 and was completed in October 2025.
Erica McLean, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Education for School District 57, shared: “The Board of Education celebrates the opening of this newly completed child care centre in Mackenzie. It has been most rewarding to witness the development of the project from its announcement in 2023 to its opening in 2025. We look forward to seeing this critical service come to life in the community.”
“It’s exciting to see more child care spaces opening for families in Mackenzie,” said Rohini Arora, B.C. parliamentary secretary for child care. “These new spaces give parents peace of mind knowing their children are safe and cared for, allowing them to focus on their own professional and personal development goals. Affordable, reliable child care is a game changer for communities and we’re proud to be delivering the type of care hard-working families need.”
“These new child care spaces will help families in Mackenzie thrive,” said Anna Gainey, Canada’s Secretary of State for Children and Youth. “Centres like these make a real difference in the community and are helping build a future where affordable and quality child care is within reach for everyone.” School District 57 is partnering with Inquiring Little Minds to operate the centre, ensuring expert care for Mackenzie’s youngest residents.
“School District 57 is pleased to support families across our region with trained and compassionate child care in a modern and welcoming facility,” said Jameel Aziz, Superintendent of Schools. “We hope the opening of this child care centre in Mackenzie is the first of many we can offer across the School District 57 region.”
Recognizing the growing demand for child care, the District continues to explore opportunities to develop more spaces in existing facilities and on district properties. Families with children attending the new centre will benefit from government programs including:
· The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI)
· The Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) program
Additionally, Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) working at the centre will be eligible for the ECE Wage Enhancement (ECE-WE) program, providing financial incentives for their essential work.
No matter the child care option parents choose, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) provides direct, tax-free support, helping about 3.5 million families every year, including over 450,000 families in B.C. While families can use the benefit however they need, for many it significantly reduces the burden of child care expenses – in some cases, cutting them entirely thanks to federal, provincial, and territorial investments to reduce child care fees in the Canada-wide early learning and child care system.
School District 57 remains committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care across the region.