Child Care and Schooling in Vancouver

Child Care

UBC is the largest campus-based child care provider in North America, and continues to be the largest provider of infant/toddler child care in Vancouver. We continue to take steps for greater support of child care options to all British Columbians. To find out the latest information on childcare at the Vancouver campus, please visit Focus on People.

UBC Child Care Services provides about 600 spaces designed for the children of students, faculty and staff at UBC. Expansions at various locations will annually create more spaces, however the waiting lists tend to be long. We suggest you inquire early about available space.

The Development Disabilities Association (DDA) provides over 50 community-based programs and services for all children (including special needs), youths, and adults.  UBC has partnered with the DDA to enhance the availability of child care for faculty and staff in five of their centres.

Kids & Co. give faculty and staff access to emergency child care as well as priority placement within 6 months.  UBC is a member of this national childcare company that has 2 locations in B.C., one in Richmond and one in Vancouver.

Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre provides information, referrals, training and resources to families and care givers. Initiatives include the active recruitment of “license not required” caregivers (LNR’s) around Vancouver and the accessibility to toy library services.

Visit the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development website for more information on child care services available off-campus in Vancouver or ask our office about a list of current child-minding vacancies.

Enrolling your children in Vancouver schools

Upon arrival in Vancouver, children are required to go to the District Reception and Placement Centre (DRPC) for placement testing (if they are not born in Canada or if they are Grade 1 to Grade 12 students born in Canada who do not speak English as their home language.) Children cannot enroll in school until your family arrives in the country and a tenancy agreement shows that you have a Vancouver address.

Important note for foreign nationals – your work permit must be valid for a full year in order for children to register in school without paying international fees. After successfully enrolling your children, they will be allocated to a preferred school in your catchment area or one close by if the preferred school(s) are full. If you arrive in the summer and your children are starting school in September, you may not find out the school they have been allocated until late August.

If you are relocating from within Canada, you can register directly at the school of your choice but priorities are given to people closest in the catchment area.