MNBC breaks ground on new childcare centre

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John residents will soon have another daycare option.

The Métis Nation of British Columbia (MNBC) and the Fort St. John Métis Society broke ground on a new childcare facility on Thursday, September 5th.

The new facility will sit next door to MNBC offices and their Skills Training Employment and Post Secondary (STEPS) Centre, located at 9409 99th Avenue in Fort St. John.

According to MNBC Region 7 director Paulette Flamond, the daycare will focus on Métis customs and traditions. She adds that plans for a daycare date back several years. 

“We’ll be immersing the children in the Métis culture,” Flamond said. “It will be open to all children, but our focus will be on the Métis community.”

The initial cost for the daycare will be free of charge for the inaugural year, with the facility later falling under the federal government’s $10-a-day childcare program.

Last month, MNBC was alongside the Fort St. John Métis Society when they held the opening of their new headquarters, located across the street.

Regular construction will commence in October, with the centre expected to open by fall 2025.