In several regions of British Columbia, access to French-language child care services is a challenge. Thanks to le Phare C.-B., the Francophone community in Terrace now has access to new child care centre spaces to meet their needs. La garderie Les abeilles, which opened in January 2026, offers before- and after-school child care services. It currently hosts six children, and the outlook is promising for the upcoming school year. This centre was opened following a rigorous needs assessment process, conducted in the spring of 2025 through a survey of families.
In Comox, the team of le Phare C.-B. is pleased to fully assume responsibility for managing the operations of la garderie Les petits cœurs de l’île following a successful transition with the parents’ association of l’école Au-cœur-de l’île. Two services are offered, for preschool and school-aged children. In addition, the high number of children enrolled in both services demonstrates the importance of maintaining and developing more spaces for Francophone families in certain regions.
Le Phare C.-B. is continuing its momentum to increase access to Francophone child care services in British Columbia. It now manages 16 child care centres across the province. Since its creation in 2020, the team has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 4 employees to 15 in March 2026. This team supports operations and ensures the quality of Francophone child care services in the province.
In order to fulfill its three missions of support, management, and development of Francophone child care centres, le Phare C.-B. relies on its three teams dedicated to the management of Francophone child care centre operations (with 16 child care centres currently), the support of parents and professionals through its Francophone Child Care Resource and Referral (FCCRR) service, and the maintenance and development of child care centres through the Network of Early Childhood Stakeholders (NECS).
Each new Francophone child care centre created is another space where French language and culture can be experienced every day in early childhood. Stay tuned to follow the progress of le Phare C.-B.’s projects!
