New rules let Vancouver houses host bigger childcare facility and still be lived in | Daily Hive

New Africa/Shutterstock

Finding a childcare spot in Vancouver has long been a struggle for many families, and the municipal government is now trying to make that a little easier by changing the rules on where larger childcare facilities can operate in residential zoning.

Earlier this week, Vancouver City Council approved City of Vancouver staff’s recommended new policies that make it easier for small childcare operators to run larger facilities on the same single-family detached house property where they live.

The approved changes mean the owner of a house can now have a licensed childcare use for more than eight children on their property and still keep one residential unit there too — as long as the childcare facility is in a separate space with its own entrance and there is no door connecting it to the home. Alternatively, under the new rules, if a property has a laneway house, the main house can become the childcare facility while the laneway house stays as the residence. Either way, only one home and one childcare facility are allowed on the lot, and they must be clearly separated for safety and privacy.

You might also like:

Smaller in-house childcare facilities for eight kids or fewer are not affected, since those were already allowed. Previously, in most residential zones of the city, if a house is converted into a childcare facility for more than eight kids, there cannot be a residential use on the premises.

These new rules are aimed at slightly bigger, “group” childcare that until now had to take over an entire house and could not share the site with a residence.

“This approval makes a practical, modest adjustment to existing rules that can help unlock new childcare spaces where they’re needed most — right in our neighbourhoods,” said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim in a statement.

“It helps grow childcare capacity, supports operators and balances local housing needs while also maintaining neighbourhood character.”

According to City staff, only about half of Vancouver’s childcare demand is currently being met, leaving a gap of roughly 6,700 spaces.

While the provincial government sets the rules for licensing and safety, the municipal government controls zoning, parking, and building rules — and those rules can make it easier or harder to open new childcare facilities. City staff note the old zoning rules were one of the obstacles, because they forced operators into an all-or-nothing choice: either keep a house as housing, or convert the whole property into a childcare facility, but not both. The new approach creates a middle option.

City staff are also being cautious about the scale of these changes. The new rules only apply to existing houses, not brand new construction. City staff note that this limitation keeps the focus on small- and medium-sized childcare operations that fit better into residential neighbourhoods, instead of encouraging large, institutional-style centres on quiet streets.

Neighbourhood impacts were a part of the consideration. Some residents worry about noise, traffic, and parking when a childcare facility opens nearby. Instead of setting a hard capacity limit on such facilities, City staff point out that other rules already do that job. Provincial licensing rules require a certain amount of indoor and outdoor square footage per kid, and the City’s parking and loading rules limit how many drop-off and pick-up spaces are needed. Together, those requirements naturally cap how big a childcare space can be on a residential lot.

The zoning change does not lower any safety standards. All childcare operators still have to meet provincial licensing rules and City building code requirements, and they still need the proper permits before opening.

You might also like: