‘Exciting milestone’: 81 new child care spaces open in Penticton
Published 3:20 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2026
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Penticton has now reached 70 per cent of its target to add 722 new child care spaces by 2030.
The city celebrated the opening of 81 spaces at the Power Street YMCA Child Care Centre on Tuesday, Sept. 22, bringing the total number of new spots added in Penticton to 521 since 2021.
“For many years, access to child care has been one of the biggest challenges facing local families,” Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield said.
Rooms at the Power Street building, located next to the Penticton Community Centre, are for infants to children up to 12 years old.
The project was first announced in 2024, supported by a $3.9 million grant from the B.C. government.
“I’ve lived in this community for my whole life, and I know firsthand how hard it can be for parents and kids to find child care that works for their families,” Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Bolutbee said.
Penticton City Council endorsed a plan in 2021 that called for 722 new child care spaces by 2030.
Bloomfield was a sitting councillor at the time, and at a Tuesday press conference, called the completion of the Power Street centre an “exciting milestone” in that work.
“It was an ambitious goal, but one we believed was necessary to support the future growth and well-being of our community,” said Bloomfield.
“We’ve heard from parents who struggle to find available spaces. We’ve heard from employees whose staff were impacted by child care shortages. And we heard from families, who simply wanted the reassurance that their children would have access to quality care close to home.”
The new centre is being operated by the YMCA of the Southern Interior.
“From planning and partnerships to construction and preparation, countless hours have gone into ensuring this centre is ready to welcome families,” YMCA of Southern Interior COO Danielle Miranda said.
Other new spaces added after the endorsement of the Penticton Child Care Action Plan include 116 at Edmonton Avenue Child Care Centre at Kiwanis Park, operated by OneSky Community Resources, and 240 across Uplands Elementary, Skaha Lake Elementary and Parkway Elementary.
“Today is an opportunity to celebrate the progress we’ve made together,” Bloomfield said Tuesday.