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Parents of young children in Kamloops now have access to a range of early learning, health and family services in one location.

A new B.C. Early Years Centre has opened at 150 Wood St., to support families with children up to age six. Hosted by the John Tod Centre – YMCA-YWCA, it offers a number of programs, services and supports including an interactive Play and Learn drop-in program for families and child-care providers and a toy lending and resource library.

It is one of 14 new centres across the province. Each will receive $52,000 in provincial funding for this fiscal year as part of a $5.5-million investment over three years.

This is the second phase of an initiative under the B.C. Early Years Strategy.

“Programs and services that have been developed for the B.C. Early Years Centre in Kamloops help ensure our region’s children thrive now and throughout their lives,” Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake said.

“Our Early Years Centre location will provide enhanced accessibility to more services and to more families,” said Janis Arner, director of family services with the Y. 

The first three years of the Early Years Strategy has aimed for the creation of up to 2,000 new licensed child-care spaces by March 2016, with the goal of opening 13,000 new spaces by 2020.