Creating Child Care Spaces in Richmond
Creating Child Care SpacesResearch and Planning
Licensing a Child Care Program
Child Care Development Policy
Creating Child Care Spaces
The City of Richmond acknowledges that quality and affordable child care is an essential service for families. Well-designed child care spaces promote the well-being of children and families and support the overall economic stability and growth of Richmond. The resources and information outlined below offer guidance for those wishing to open a new facility or expand or renovate an existing child care space. Every effort is made to ensure this information is up to date. It is the responsibility of child care operators to know and understand the current regulations and requirements for the delivery of licensed child care in BC.
Research and Planning
Before applying for a provincial child care licence and/or a building permit for a child care space, it is important to do the appropriate research and planning in order to ensure the facility will comply with all zoning, bylaws and regulations. Failure to do this can result in unexpected costs, time delays or challenges with obtaining a Community Care Facilities: Child Care Licence.
When planning to open a new child care facility or renovate or expand an existing one, it is important to review and understand the processes and steps involved. The following resources will support this work:
- Vancouver Coastal Health Child Care Licensing resources, application forms and guides - Community Care Facilities Licensing and Child Care Licensing or call Child Care Licensing Facilities Licensing at 604-233-3147.
- City of Richmond Building Approvals Bulletins -
PERMITS-47 - Child Care Facilities and INFO-49 - Converting Industrial Spaces for Assembly Occupancies
- City of Richmond Zoning - to check if a property is zoned for the type of child care being planned, contact Zoning or call 604-276-4017.
- City of Richmond Parking Requirements - to learn about the parking requirements for child care, call the City's Customer Service Department at 604-276-4000.
- Richmond Fire Rescue - Child care facilities must comply with the BC Fire Code and bylaws and require specific fire inspections.
- City of Richmond Business Licensing - if the child care facility will be operated as a private business and licensed for more than 10 children, a business licence is required. Email Business Licence or call 604-276-4328.
Licensing a Child Care Program
The following table outlines the typical process for licensing a child care program in Richmond. Due to the specifics of each building, site and program being proposed, additional steps or requirements may be necessary. The process differs if the child care facility will be in a residential home (including family child care and in-home multiage care) or if the facility will be licensed as a group child care program in another type of building. The process will also differ if the child care space will be new construction or requires renovation. Refer to the City of Richmond Creating Child Care Space in Richmond for additional details.
| Licensing a Child Care Program in a Home | |
|---|---|
| 1) Find a suitable child care space | Identify the address for the proposed facility and confirm zoning and existing building plans with the City of Richmond. |
| 2) Apply for a Community Care Facilities: Child Care Licence (VCH) |
Complete a Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Community Care Facilities: Child Care Licensing Application Form. |
| 3) Coordinate a visit with a VCH Licensing Officer |
Meet with a VCH Licensing Officer to review plans for the proposed child care space and to coordinate an assessment of the space. Provide the Licensing Officer with documents including an employee plan and site and floor plan drawings to scale. Complete this prior to the next step in order to reduce delays. VCH approval is required prior to the Non-Permit Site Inspection or Building Permit being issued. |
| 4) Apply for a building permit through the City and coordinate a building inspection with Building Approvals |
If no renovations are planned or required, no building permit is needed, but an application must be made for a Non-Permit Site Inspection through the Building Approvals Department. If renovations are planned, a Building Permit Application must be submitted with three (3) copies of the child care space drawn to scale included. Both of these options require inspection visit(s) and payment of associated fees. Once any necessary work has been completed and the building inspection is successful, a Site Visit Notice (if a Non-Permit Site Inspection applied for) or a Final Inspection Card (if a Building Permit applied for) will be provided. Both are considered municipal approval of a child care space. |
| 5) Coordinate a fire inspection with Richmond Fire-Rescue |
Once the Site Visit Notice or Final Inspection Card has been received, contact Richmond Fire-Rescue for a fire inspection. Note: There may be an associated fee. Once the fire inspection is complete, correspondence confirming BC Fire Code Compliance will be provided. |
| 6) Provide VCH with municipal and fire approval from the City | Give copies of the documents from the City of Richmond Building Inspector and Richmond Fire Rescue to the VCH Licensing Officer. The Licensing Officer will then review all other required documents and conduct an inspection(s) to complete the process to obtain a licence to operate the child care program. |
| Licensing Group Child Care Programs | |
|---|---|
| 1) Decide on the location, address and type of the child care program to be offered | Research the community need for child care, including the types of licensed child care programs or areas of greatest need, confirm the zoning, bylaw and building permit requirements of the site. Develop and confirm a budget for the start up of the program including the costs of renovations, permits and licences. |
| 2) Apply for a Community Care Facilities: Child Care Licence (VCH) |
Complete a Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Community Care Facilities: Child Care Licensing Application Form. |
| 3) Design a suitable child care space and coordinate a visit with a VCH Licensing Officer | Meet with a VCH Licensing Officer to review plans for the proposed child care centre. Provide a detailed description of the care program(s), site and floor plans (drawn to scale) and financial and budgetary information. This may take multiple meetings to ensure that a healthy space for children is created. Complete this step prior to submitting a Building Permit application in order to reduce delays in obtaining the permit. VCH approval is required prior to the Building Permit being issued. |
| 4) Apply for a Building Permit through the City and coordinate a building inspection with Building Approvals | Apply for a Building Permit through the City’s Building Approvals Department. Three (3) sets of plans (drawn to scale) are required to be provided. If the plans comply with the requirements contained in the BC Building Code, Zoning Bylaws, Building Bylaws and other related regulations, and VCH has approved them, a Building Permit will be issued. If no renovations are planned or required, no building permit is needed but an application must be made for a Non-Permit Site Inspection through the Building Approvals Department. Once the inspection(s) are complete, a Site Visit Notice will be provided. This is considered municipal approval of the child care space and a fire inspection can be proceeded with. |
| 5) Begin construction on your child care space and coordinate necessary building, plumbing and fire inspections | Coordinate building and plumbing inspections with the Building Approvals Department and fire inspections with Richmond Fire-Rescue. During the inspection building inspection process, the inspector will advise of any issues requiring attention. If the building inspection is successful, a Final Inspection Card documenting municipal approval will be provided. Once this is completed, Richmond Fire-Rescue will need to be contacted for a fire inspection. If the fire inspection is successful, correspondence confirming BC Fire Code Compliance will be provided. |
| 6) Provide VCH with building and fire approval from the City | Give copies of the documents from the City of Richmond Building Inspector and Richmond Fire-Rescue to the VCH Licensing Officer. The Licensing Officer will then review all other required documents and conduct an inspection(s) to complete the process to obtain a licence to operate the child care program. |
Note: Issuance of a building permit, necessary inspections and approval of a community care facilities licence to operate licensed child care, including approval from the City of Richmond, Richmond Fire-Rescue and Vancouver Coastal Health, Child Care Licensing, can take an extended period of time. This is dependent, in part, on the site selected, level of renovation or alteration required to comply with all relevant regulations and requirements and the operational details of the child care program. It's recommended to account for this in planning.
Child Care Development Policy
The City of Richmond acknowledges that quality and affordable child care is an essential service in the community for residents, employers and employees.
The Child Care Development Policy describes the City of Richmond’s roles and responsibilities for child care in the community including:
- Working in partnership with senior levels of government and non-profit and private sectors to ensure that quality affordable child care is provided throughout the community;
- The establishment of a Council Advisory Committee to provide advice on child care in Richmond;
- The establishment of a Child Care Reserve Fund to assist with capital costs for new child care space and operating costs for existing child care programs;
- The development of child care facilities; and
- Ensuring that child care is an important component in neighbourhood planning.
Since 2009, the City has supported child care development in Richmond by:
- Creating 12 City-owned child care facilities (including two innovative Early Childhood Development Hubs) with a total of 583 spaces in the Blundell, Bridgeport, City Centre, Hamilton, Shellmont and West Cambie planning areas; and
- Working on the design and upcoming development of one City-owned child care facility in the City Centre planning area.