Enhancing Municipal Support for Child Care: Policy Options for the City of Surrey

This study explores the role municipalities in British Columbia can play in addressing child care. It focuses on the City of Surrey, investigating what this rapidly growing municipality can do, within its jurisdictional authority, to enable and support the creation of high quality, affordable child care spaces. This study uses a literature review, jurisdictional scan and data gathered through qualitative interviews with municipal elected officials, planners and child care experts to identify and evaluate five policy options. Options are analysed using a standardized criteria and measures approach. This study concludes that the adoption of a non-profit support framework and the integration of child care into the City’s community amenity contributions approach are the most effective policy interventions for increasing the number of child care spaces, while ensuring high quality, affordability and accessibility objectives. Furthermore, it recognizes these interventions can be included within a more comprehensive strategy, maximizing flexibility and nimbleness.