Child Care in the Kootenays: Key Findings
The goal of this project was to understand the
business needs and challenges of childcare
providers in the Kootenay Region and to
contribute to constructive business solutions
for the long-term sustainability of childcare
providers.

What does childcare look like in our
region?

We heard from 76/160 licensed providers in the region.

Average Hours Open
Per Day

Number of Days Open
Per Week

Half of the childcare providers are Non-Profit and 30% are Single
Owner/Operator Centres.
Demand exceeds spaces across the region.

Average wages
What employers currently pay
What employers would like to pay
$35.00

When it comes to wages there
is variation across the school
districts.

Under current operating conditions,
is your organization financially
sustainable in the long term?

$30.00

NO

$25.00

30%

$20.00
$15.00

74% of respondents say that
what they pay staff isn’t
appropriate for the required
qualifications and experience.

$10.00
$5.00

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The wage rate listed excludes wage enhancements or top-ups.
Wage top-ups are subject to change and thus add to an
overarching climate of uncertainty.

+

Challenges to Business Operations

Significance
-

1. Balancing income and workload (covering
cost of quality care)
Where
2. Human resources (attraction, retention,
etc.)​
3. Administration (record keeping, licensing,
reporting)​
4. Financial management
5. Workload
6. Physical space
7. Policy and regulatory knowledge
8. Workforce subject matter knowledge

YES
70%
There were no patterns in organization
type, size, or type of care for those who
responded "no".

What are the top supports that
would benefit your organization?
1. Financial Support (26 total)
Wage Enhancement (17)
Grants and loans to
support materials,
business development
and growth​(9)
2. Mentorship Support:
including administrative
assistants and access to
lawyers and such​(14)
3. Workforce (7 total)
Immigration Support (4)
Recruitment and staffing
including benefits for staff
(3)

4. Professional Development
(6)

Ideal business
support
characteristics​
1. In person with
one-on-one
support​
2. Offered outside
working hours
(evenings and
weekends)​
3. Flexible
4. Free of charge
5. Hands on

Recruitment Challenges

Retention Challenges

Strategies to Address Challenges in Recruitment & Retention
The top strategies used by >50% of respondents included:
1. Positive culture and work environment
selected by 63% of total respondents, selected by 88% of respondents
without recruitment problems, and 79% without retention problems
2. Paid professional development (time and paid)
selected by 61% of total respondents, selected by 88% of respondents
without recruitment problems, and 79% without retention problems
3.Paid planning time within work day
selected by 56% of total respondents, selected by 100% of
respondents without recruitment problems, and 58% without
retention problems
Health care benefits
selected by 56% of total respondents, selected by 88% of respondents
without recruitment problems, and 68% without retention problems
4. Competitive wages
selected by 50% of total respondents, selected by 88% of respondents
without recruitment problems, and 63% without retention problems

The top five strategies for recruitment and
retention were the same, highlighting a
consensus on the effectiveness of these
strategies. However, those who were
successful in recruitment and retention
used a combination of strategies,
suggesting there is no single solution.
It was observed that challenges with
recruitment and retention were amplified
as provider size decreased.
While housing was noted as the 4th most
common challenge for recruitment and
retention, it had no presence on the list of
strategies used by childcare providers. It is
beyond the purview of childcare providers
to provide housing solutions, and
therefore requires collaboration with local
housing societies, local governments, and
other community organizations.

Recommendations & Ideas* A diversity of needs requires multiple responses. Ideas identified include:
Training & Technology​
Workforce Recruitment​
Provide targeted, sector specific training at
Create a position that serves the temporary / on call needs of
appropriate times​
multiple small child care providers​
Explore application of AI for reporting efficiency​
Help navigate recruiting from outside region – includes housing,
Partnerships​
immigration​
Share business management and other professional
Changes to Support Programs​
services ​
Proactive engagement and relationship building from support
Opportunities for all centres to host practicum
organizations​
placements​
Identify clear pathways to supports based on key eligibility (for profit
Mentorship​
versus non)​
Peer or one-on-one business mentorship combining
Ensure all providers have access to similar supports​
business and sector specific knowledge​
Offer support programs and services outside standard working hours​
Linking knowledge transfer with succession planning
Create operational funding opportunities
*Based on responses from the survey and focus groups

September 4, 2024