A new centre training for early childhood educators and creating access to more affordable childcare is now open at Capilano University's North Vancouver campus.
Capilano University members and provincial politicians cut the ribbon Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the Fulmer Family Centre for Childhood Studies.
The 23,000-square foot, two-storey centre will help provide training for 20 early childhood educators, doubling the number of practicum placements spots for students to 48.
With studio and lab space, classrooms, faculty offices and a timber playground outside, the new building also offers 74 new childcare spaces for students and instructors’ part of the early childhood education programs, racking up the total number to 143.
“There’s a real need in the community for early childhood spaces,” said Capilano University chancellor Yuri Fulmer. “We either have not enough spaces and we have educators, or we have not enough educators in the spaces. So we need to have a bit of a match up on producing amazing early childhood educators and creating spaces for them to work in.”
Fulmer and his family donated $2 million towards the centre and the building now bears their name, recognizing their contributions.
On top of the Fulmer family’s donation, the Province contributed more than $11 million to the $25 million project. University investments and donor support helped fund the rest.
“It serves to help us grow the next and train the next generation of early childhood educators that will go out into the community and support families,” said Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma.
It is the only purpose-built facility of its kind in Western Canada, according to the university, and it will help remove barriers for those wanting to pursue a career, Fulmer said.
“Whether that burden is getting an education or is getting back into the workforce, it just adds a burden to people’s lives that shouldn’t happen,” he said. “In a modern industrialist society, we should be able to find childcare spaces that are great opportunities for children, that enable their parents to fulfill their goals as well.”
The building comes at a pivotal time as enrolment numbers in early childhood education programs at post-secondary institutions have grown 85 per cent since 2017, with over 8,900 students enrolled.
Early childhood education is more than what people realize, Fulmer family and university student say
During a child’s formative years, education is the most vital, Fulmer and his mother Alison said.
“The children in those formative years become who they are later,” she said. “So it’s extremely important to every community to have a centre of excellence in their childcare.”
Fulmer said his mother inspired him to make the donation as she spent her whole life in childhood education.
“We’ve got to get away from thinking about childhood education as daycare,” he said about the project. “It’s really about formative education and it’s starting in some ways, so these kids have got a school ready to thrive.”
Capilano University ECE student Kate Berry-deWynter, who has been in the field off and on since 1995 and came to Capilano University in 2023 to pursue a degree, echoed that sentiment.
“It’s important because quality educators are the cornerstone of this field,” she said. “If children have needs that are being met when they’re younger, the transition years [are] easier.”
Children will be able to attend the childcare spaces in June and classes for the ECE program will start in September.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
https://bsky.app/profile/abbyluciano.bsky.social
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