Child Care Facilities

The project team has resubmitted an application for additional funding for both Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge childcare projects due to the escalation of costs since the initial application was submitted to the Ministry of Education and ChildCare in 2023. The new childcare facilities would create 74 new childcare spaces in Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge to provide support for families with young children.

Please follow https://www.sd59.bc.ca/district/capital-projects for updates on the project.

Since September 17, 2025, the SD59 project team and architect have met to finalize the request to the Ministry for additional funding for both Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge projects. Quarterly reports and project extension requests have been submitted to the Ministry for both projects and updated costing information has been received.

Full updates on the capital projects are available online at Capital Projects

ChildCareBC New Spaces Update – Dawson Creek & Tumbler Ridge

Work continues on the application for increased funds. A team meeting planned for September 22, 2025 to review applications for submission by month end.

Please follow https://www.sd59.bc.ca/district/capital-projects for updates on these projects.

The following key activities have occurred since May 13, 2025:

• Secretary-Treasurer contacted Ministry to determine requirements for application for additional funding; Ministry to contact within 10 days.
• Secretary-Treasurer contacted neighbouring district in the Northern Interior Branch to request suggestions/advice on their submission for additional funding.
• Ministry sent a guide to preparing the submission including current budget status, variances and the additional request.
• Director of Operations and Secretary-Treasurer to prep submission before meeting with the team to finalize the submission (June 17, 2025)

Please follow https://www.sd59.bc.ca/district/capital-projects for updates on these projects.

Since March 12, 2025 the following have occurred:

• SD59 internal project team met to discuss next steps and delay in receipt of modular costing.   
• SD59 internal project team met with architect to discuss concerns with receipt of modular costing, timelines and delayed reports to the Board of Education, BLT (Building Learning Society) and the Dawson Creek Child Care Task Force.
• Architect provided a refined costing for modulars and updated costing for stick build.

Stick Build or Modular Option Decision

Staff presented a recommendation to proceed with advancing the stick build option, unless otherwise directed by the Board, for the following reasons:

As reported in the March 12, 2025 Board Meeting.

The architect continues to wait for the modular build estimates for both centres.  The Secretary-Treasurer has escalated the timeline concern with the architect.  The budget remains unchanged from February 19, 2025.

Please follow https://www.sd59.bc.ca/district/capital-projects for updates.

Below are the significant developments in the Child Care Facility Projects since January 22, 2025. 

Next Steps:
January 6, 2025 - Architect and Engineer continued working on civil and structural drawings.

January 28, 2025 - Architect completed costing for stick building the childcare facilities

• Tumbler childcare stick build cost $ 5.6m
• Dawson childcare stick build cost $ 5.0m

January 30, 2025 - Architect and project team met to discuss costing and next steps.  Architect still awaiting modular build costing to compare to stick build.

February 3, 2025 - Project team begins licensing applications with Northern Health for both locations.

February 12, 2025 - Architect and Director of Operations met with the City of Dawson Creek to discuss fire hydrant requirements and next steps in the building permit process.

Update as of January 22, 2025.

Since the December 18, 2024 Board Meeting, the following progress continues on the ChildcareBC New Spaces projects in Tumbler Ridge and Dawson Creek:

Update as of December 18, 2024

The following progress has been made since the November Board Meeting:

• A meeting was held involving Director of Operations, the Architect, and the Engineer to discuss foundation options for the project. 
• For both childcare facilities, the draft Class A cost estimate for traditional stick-build construction is currently under review by the Architect and will be issued for review next week.
• The Class A cost estimate for the modular construction option is still being completed by the cost estimate consultant.
• Coordination of site conditions for both facilities with the City of Dawson Creek and the District of Tumbler Ridge is still ongoing.
• Structural and civil engineering coordination remains in progress.

 Next Steps:

Since September 20, 2024 the following have occurred:

•   September 25, 2024
Project team met with architect to review design package and make recommendations.

•    October 5, 2024
Tumbler Ridge site was surveyed.

•    October 6, 2024
Dawson Creek site was surveyed.

•    October 9, 2024
Project team met with architect to discuss final details.  Falcon Engineering attended meeting to give a brief overview of the HVAC options.

•    October 9, 2024
Geo Tech survey completed at Tumbler site.

•    October 11, 2024
Falcon Engineering  emailed the project team the 3 HVAC options for the facilities.

•    October 16, 2024
Project team met with architect and Falcon Engineering to review 3 HVAC options and settled on a 4th option.

•    October 16, 2024
Plumbing details were sent out to project team for review.