Child Care

How to Find Child Care

• Where to Start Your Search

  Here are some places to search for child care in Penticton.

  • Request a referral from Penticton’s Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) centre, which offers child care referral, resources and support to all child care providers and families throughout the region.
  • Use the Government of BC’s Child Care Map to search availability by city.
  • Facebook groups: Check out the Penticton Childcare group, which is a great place to post questions, and the Penticton Moms Supporting Moms page, where you can get connected with other local parents.
• Child Care Advice & Children with Disabilities

  From special needs assistance to counselling and child care referrals, Penticton’s Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) centre is well acquainted with Penticton services and can help you find what you need. They can also help you apply for child care subsidies.

  Children with Special Needs

  Contact the following organizations:

  • Okanagan Similkameen Neurology Society
  • Penticton Centre for Exceptional Learning
• Subsidies

  Here are some resources for child care subsidies

  • Affordable Child Care Benefit
  • $10 Dollar a Day ChildCareBC Centre
• Indigenous Child Care

  To get access to child care on Penticton Indian Band, please check out the Little Paws Childrens Centre.

Steps to Open a Child Care Centre

• Phase 1: Contact the City

  If you are interested in opening a child care facility within Penticton, before signing your lease for your prospective property, we ask that you first contact our Development Services department and discuss your plans with staff to ensure that your location meets the zoning and other minimum requirements.

• Phase 2: Walk through the Steps with Interior Health

  A community care facilities licence is required from Interior Health for all programs and facilities providing care to three or more children who are not related to the operator by blood or marriage.

  Here are some links to get started. Note that child care centres will require a successful health inspection and a Community Care Facility Licence, both from Interior Health.

  • Interior Health: Information about child care programs and licensing
  • Interior Health: Download your Guide to Applying for a Child Care Licence
  • Interior Health: Read about Inspections
  • Province of BC: Open a Child Care Business

  Have questions related to Interior Health licensing? Contact them directly by calling 1-877-980-5118 or email them over their online service.

• Phase 3: Apply for Your Business Licence from the City

  Penticton business licences are not issued until operators receive a Community Care Facilities Licence through Licensing Direct and approval is granted by Interior Health.

  Contact the City’s business licensing department or visit the Apply for a Licence page for information.

New Child Care Centre Coming Soon

• Learn More about the Power Street Child Care Centre

  The Power Street Child Care space will feature an additional 80 child care spaces, including 12 spaces for children under 3 years old, 44 spaces for children 3 years to kindergarten age and 24 spaces for school-aged children. 

  The YMCA of the Southern Interior will be operating this child care space. 

  The facility is expected to be open in late 2025. For more information on when registration is available, please visit the YMCA website. 

• Other Recent Projects

  The Edmonton Avenue Centre in Kiwanis Park opened in 2023, bringing 116 new child care spaces to Penticton. 

  The 7,500-square-foot stand-alone facility features six child care rooms, kitchen equipment, office spaces and storage rooms.

  OneSky Community Resources is operating this centre. 

A Plan to Increase Access to Child Care

• Background: Preparing the Action Plan

  City staff worked with the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) in 2020 to conduct various feedback opportunities including surveys, interviews, workshops and one-to-one engagements with families, parents, childcare providers and community partners. The Penticton Child Care Action Plan was the result of approximately 500 individuals participating in these conversations.

  The initiative was supported by a $25,000 grant provided by the Province of BC and administered by the Union of BC Municipalities as part of its Community Child Care Space Creation Program.

  Find Out More

  • Penticton Child Care Action Plan
  • Child Care Action Plan Fact Sheet

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