Child Care
The City of Richmond recognizes that child care is an important service for its residents, is an essential need for working parents and supports parents who are pursuing their education. A key goal of the City’s commitment to child care is to promote the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive child care system.
- Richmond Child Care Strategy 2024-2034
- Finding Child Care in Richmond - Information on the Affordable Child Care Benefit, types of licensed child care, resources for parents searching for quality child care in Richmond and resources for finding licensed child care programs
- Creating Child Care Space - Basic steps for creating licensed child care spaces in Richmond and resources for operators
- Child Care Grant Program - Information about annual Child Care Capital Grants and Child care Professional and Program Development Grants
- Child Care Development Advisory Committee - Responds to child care issues in the community and provides advice to Richmond City Council
Richmond Child Care Strategy 2024-2034
The City has developed a new 10-year Child Care Strategy, which identifies current and future child care needs and provides a set of strategic directions and actions to be undertaken over the next 10 years. 
Richmond Child Care Strategy 2024-2034
As of 2023, there are 9,103 licensed child care spaces in Richmond, a total of 38 licensed child care spaces per 100 children. This is compared with an average of 25.1 spaces per 100 children in Metro Vancouver and an average of 21 spaces per 100 children in British Columbia.
Municipal Jurisdiction
The City of Richmond demonstrates its commitment to child care by partnering with other levels of government and the private and non-profit sectors to create child care spaces, and through the following initiatives:
Provincial Jurisdiction
The Provincial Government is responsible for child care legislation, policy, facility licensing, fee subsidies to low-income families, and program support. Visit the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care for information on the child care subsidy, principles of child care in British Columbia and guidelines for municipalities to support local child care needs.
Visit the BC Government’s Choosing Child Care in BC for for information on selecting child care in BC.
Federal Jurisdiction
Education and child care fall primarily under provincial jurisdiction, and the federal role is limited largely to the transfer of funds to provincial and territorial governments for early childhood programs and services. The federal government also provides the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) to families with children under the age of 18 years.
Contact
Chris DugganManager, Community Social Development childcare@richmond.ca 604-204-8621
Related Links
- BC Ministry of Education and Child Care
- Richmond Child Care Resource & Referral Centre
- Vancouver Coastal Health - Child Care Resource Page
- Vancouver Coastal Health - Child Care Facility Licensing
- Richmond Child Care Design Guidelines - Update
- Building Approvals Bulletin - Child Care Facilities
- Building Approvals Bulletin - Converting Industrial Spaces for Assembly Occupancies
- Enhanced Accessibility Design Guidelines
- Building Facilities Design Guidelines