As I posted last week, Langley City Council updated our 2022 budget to allocate $2,460,750 to expand the Cookie Monster Preschool, which operates out of the Douglas Recreation Centre.
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| Left-to-right: MP Carla Qualtrough, Councillor Rosemary Wallace, MLA Andrew Mercier, Councillor Gayle Martin, MLA Katrina Chen, Councillor Nathan Pachal. |
Yesterday, the provincial and federal governments announced that Langley City is receiving a $2,360,750 grant to expand and renovate Douglas Recreation Centre to allow the Cookie Monster Preschool, which currently has space for 13 children, to have space for 85 children. The City will provide $100,000 in funding.
The Cookie Monster Preschool is an affordable and quality option for working families. Heather Gillard, a parent of a child enrolled at Cookie Monster Preschool, spoke passionately about the positive impact that Cookie Monster Preschool had on her daughter and how important it is for more affordable childcare spaces to be available for other families.
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| Heather Gillard speaking. |
The breakdown of funding is ten spaces for infant-toddler, 14 spaces for 2.5 years to kindergarten-age children, and 48 spaces for school-age children. The spaces must be accessible.
These spaces will be prioritized for families who:
- Have a low-income
- Have children with support needs
- Are Indigenous
- Are new to Canada
- Have young parents (25 years and younger)
- Are Black
- Are francophone
Langley Township is also getting funding to expand Sandbox Early Learning with an additional 74 spaces.
For more information, please read the province’s backgrounder.
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