BC’s Path to Universal Child Care

 BC's Path to Universal Child CareEpisode S04E07 – Building on Momentum: Creating Scalable, Community-Led Child Care SpacesRecorded live at the ECEBC Conference – May 8, 2025Guests: Bridgitte Alomes (Natural Pod), Rory Richards (NUQO Modular)Hosts: Nora, Crystal, and GydaIn this inspiring live episode, recorded at the ECEBC Conference in Richmond, we return for Part Two of our conversation with Bridgitte Alomes of Natural Pod and Rory Richards of NUQO Modular.Together, we explore how their powerful collaboration is addressing the urgent need for high-quality, sustainable, and community-rooted child care spaces—especially in underserved communities. Building on our first conversation, we dive into the real-world lessons, challenges, and momentum that have emerged as their work evolves.Topics covered include:New projects and partnerships since their initial collaborationLeadership and transformation in early learningNavigating timelines, funding, and government processesDesigning with equity, sustainability, and Indigenous leadership at the coreScaling their model to meet the diverse needs of communities across BC and beyondWhat's fueling their hope and determination as they look aheadWhether you're a policymaker, child care provider, designer, or advocate, this episode offers tangible insights into how bold, values-driven collaboration can shape the future of child care.

Tune in to Episode 6 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Sharon Gregson, the provincial spokesperson for the $10aDay Child Care Campaign, working with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.In this episode, we discuss the current state of childcare in BC, highlighting that only 10% of childcare programs are officially $10-a-day programs, leaving 74% of children without access to licensed childcare. We encourage you to visit their websites to explore the many resources available, and urge you to get involved by becoming a member of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC. Whether you're a parent, an educator, or an advocate, there are ways to get involved —whether by signing petitions, joining community actions, or simply staying informed about the latest developments in child care policy. Child care is not just a personal issue; it's a societal one. A well-funded, high-quality, and accessible child care system benefits everyone —helping families thrive, supporting early childhood educators, and strengthening our communities and economy. The progress we've seen in recent years has been the result of decades of advocacy, and it's clear there is still more work to do. Sharon Gregson is the provincial spokesperson for the successful $10aDay Child Care Campaign working with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC. She was twice elected as a Trustee to the Vancouver Board of Education. She represents British Columbia on the Board of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (Child Care Now), and previously on the Child Care Human Resource Sector Council and Canadian Child Care Federation. Sharon is a feminist with a demonstrated history of working across sectors with stakeholders, including non-traditional allies, in child care public policy. She is skilled in campaign strategy and campaigning, government and stakeholder relations, and in working with traditional and social media. She was nominated for a YWCA Women of Distinction award in 2018 for her work on the successful $10aDay Child Care Plan and for developing Indigenous cultural competency resources for the ECE sector. Business in Vancouver (BIV) named Sharon in the Power 50 in Vancouver in 2022 - and one of the top 500 most influential business leaders in British Columbia in 2022 and 2023. She received the King Charles Coronation Medal in 2025.She is a past Director of the Early Years at a large unionized agency in East Vancouver managing human resources and child care operations, and she co-chaired the Vancouver Joint Childcare Council of public partners and non-governmental organizations. Sharon is also an ethical vegan and supporter of credit unions!We are grateful to have Sharon Gregson on our podcast once again, and we are delighted to her share more about her work within the childcare sector.

Tune in to Episode 5 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guests: Bridgette Alomes, the CEO and founder of Natural Pod, and Rory Richards, the President & CEO of NUQO.In this episode we dive into the latest innovations shaping early childhood education and child care. Gyda guides this conversation with two incredible women entrepreneurs —Bridgitte Alomes, founder and CEO of Natural Pod, and Rory Richards, founder and CEO of NUQO. These two B Corp-certified companies are partnering to tackle one of the biggest challenges in child care today—access to high-quality learning environments. With demand for child care spaces surging and over half of families in B.C. struggling to find care, their collaboration couldn't come at a better time. NUQO brings expertise in modular, culturally grounded construction, while Natural Pod specializes in sustainable, non-toxic, and durable school furniture. Together, they're streamlining the process—from funding applications to fully furnished classrooms—ensuring that communities, especially those underserved, get the support they need.Bridgitte Alomes is the CEO and founder of values-based learning solutions company Natural Pod, a local BC business. Natural Pod strives to enhance the well-being of students by addressing the needs of learners and educators from early childhood into elementary and beyond in educational environments. Bridgitte is a thought leader in the design of learning spaces that encourage the development of agency, foster collaboration and promote open-ended play and has given talks around North America on sustainable furniture including a TED Talk on space and intention. Her focus is on the creation of inspiring spaces for learners and educators regardless of location, pedagogy or demographic. Rory Richards is the President & CEO of NUQO Modular, a female-led, proudly Indigenous construction company recognized for its sustainable and culturally grounded approach to modular building. Rory's dedication to affordable, culturally appropriate Indigenous design and her unwavering community-first approach, exemplify the spirit of true leadership. Rory remains a dedicated advocate and a passionate voice for a number of important issues, including Indigenous housing and affordable childcare. Committed to community empowerment, NUQO partners with top architects and partners to deliver high-quality, environmentally responsible, and culturally significant child care and other building solutions.We are grateful to have Bridgitte Alomes and Rory Richards on our podcast, and we are delighted to them share more about their work with the early childhood education and child care sector.

Tune in to Episode 4 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Viveca Ellis, the Executive Director of The Centre For Family Equity.Viveca is a founding member of the organization; in 2014, she banded together with other lone mothers impacted by poverty and lack of access to legal aid, housing, and child care, to mobilize grassroots leaders and advocate for public policy solutions to lone-parent family poverty in BC. The Centre for Family Equity is a membership-based organization of low-income parents and caregivers across BC. Through research, advocacy, and legal action, they work to address family poverty with a focus on affordability, livable incomes, labour market access, and resilience. Their initiatives, including the Parental Mental Health Initiative, directly support parents impacted by gender-based violence.In past roles, Viveca has worked for the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition as the founder and coordinator of the BCPRC's Community Action Network, then led the Coalition through the pandemic as Interim Community Organizer until her departure to create the first staff role at what was then the Single Mothers' Alliance in 2021.In 2017, Viveca was nominated to the Minister's Advisory Forum on Poverty Reduction to design BC's first poverty reduction strategy and resulting legislation.  In her spare time, Viveca can be found trying to keep up mountain biking with her 15-year-old son and paddling her canoe on BC's remote lakes and rivers. We are grateful to have Viveca Ellis on our podcast, and we are delighted to have her share more about her work for the community.Listen now at BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 4: Viveca Ellis or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tune in to Episode 3 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Joan Gignac, from the Sagamok Anishnawbek Nation, an Early Childhood Educator for 34 years who has been dedicated to advancing and promoting Aboriginal Head Start and First Nations Head Start philosophy and programs in BC and Nationwide. We are honoured to welcome back Joan Gignac from the Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC for part two of a deeper conversation about the LOVIT Way (Learn, Observe, Value, Inspire, Transform).The Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC has been a cornerstone for early childhood development in Indigenous communities, fostering holistic growth through culture and language. Joan's extensive experience as an Early Childhood Educator and her dedication to advancing early years programming have made her a vital advocate in this field.We are grateful to have Joan Gignac on our podcast, and we are delighted to have her share more about the LOVIT Way and Aboriginal Head Start programs in BC.Listen now at BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 3: Joan Gignac or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tune in to Episode 2 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Joan Gignac, from the Sagamok Anishnawbek Nation, an Early Childhood Educator for 34 years who has been dedicated to advancing and promoting Aboriginal Head Start and First Nations Head Start philosophy and programs in BC and Nationwide. Joan is committed working with others, values collaboration, and working together to find new and empowering ways to advance and uphold the Early Childhood and AHS Profession and quality Early Years programs in BC and beyond.We are grateful to have Joan Gignac on our podcast, and we are delighted to have her share more about the Aboriginal Head Start programs in BC.

Welcome to Episode 1 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast for a new season with our special guest: Michelle Mungall, who has dedicated much of her career to advocating for the rights and well-being of children and families in her community. We are honoured and grateful to welcome Michelle Mungall to share insights, experiences, and her vision for the future of child care. Michelle Mungall served as British Columbia's Minister for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources from 2017-2020, and then as Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness in 2020. She was the first female MLA for Nelson-Creston from 2009 to 2020, and the youngest City Councillor for the City of Nelson from 2002-2005. She is now a senior advisor in the energy sector, monthly opinion writer for the Vancouver Sun and proud mom of two.As a lifelong feminist advocating for gender equality, Michelle's insights couldn't come at a more critical time. Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Welcome to Episode 5 in Season 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. During this episode we welcome back a familiar guest, Sharon Gregson the provincial spokesperson for the $10aDay Child Care Campaign as it is time for an update.We are grateful to have Sharon Gregson, the spokesperson for The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC - CCCABC as our special guest, so we can learn more about the improvements we have seen over the last little while and the positive impact these have had in the ECE world.Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Tune in to Episode 4 in Season 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Carrie McCormack, a Program Coordinator with the Child Care Resource and Referral Program in Williams Lake.We are honoured and grateful to welcome Carrie McCormack to share insights on  exploring how to create and sustain meaningful, relevant, and what Carrie describes as “heart changing” professional development through communities of practice:My name is Carrie McCormack and I am the Program Coordinator at Women's Contact Society for Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR), in Williams Lake, BC.  I was born in Williams Lake, grew up in the 100 Mile House area and then jumped on a Greyhound bus headed for Vancouver, about an hour after graduation.  I worked with TELUS (formerly BC Tel) for 20 years, BC Parks and The Terry Fox Foundation before returning to Williams Lake to support a career opportunity my husband had.  Full circle moment!  I am a big hearted, passionate and silly Grandma to 2 grandchildren, a partner and friend to my funny guy, Ron, a Mom, a sister, a daughter to Metro (Ukrainian) and Shirley (Huron Nation and French Canadian) and a friend to most everyone and those creatures that don't scare me too much.  I love sharing food and having a table full of family, friends, or the many strays my children brought home over the years. I attended University in 2019 to begin my Human Services education.  I gained a certificate as a Community Support Worker/Education Assistant, after year 1, and completed my practicum at Women's Contact Society.  I was offered the position of Program Coordinator for CCRR and accepted it with excitement and little apprehension.Age and experience have taught me that if I want to continue to grow and enjoy life's continuous surprises, I should always take the path that is a little uncomfortable, unknown or even a little awkward.  So right after I said yes to working with the ECE Bursary Team my first thoughts were, "What exactly does a Program Coordinator do? Who is ECE Pro D Bursary? and What's an ELF Communities of Practice?  ELF must be a game they teach us to play with children!"Here I am, over three years later wrapping up our fifth Communities of Practice on April 20th, 2024.  I can't wait to spend time in person with this group and Katie Crosby, Occupational Therapist, who has been working with us for over two years now.  It feels more like I'll be attending a high school reunion than a professional gathering as we have created such deep connections, support, trust in each other after sharing our stories, lots of laughs and some tears.    I am so grateful to the ECE Pro D Bursary team for their encouragement and support over the past three plus years.  The debriefs after each COP session were game changers for me and impacted the way I approach training and sharing information.  And to the participants who showed up for me, the children, their families, themselves.  Thank you for showing up, sharing, leading, questioning and impacting my heart, my work, my life.  What a gift you all have been.     I will close with this thought.  Prepare, plan, set the table and serve an appy (topic of discussion or something to ponder) and then let go and immerse yourself in the dinner conversation.  And maybe…just maybe, someone might ask about something that's not on the table.  Wowzer! If you're interested in starting your own community of practice with child care educators in your region reach out to us by visiting the ECE Professional Development Bursary website at eceprodbursary.org.

Welcome to Episode 3 in Season 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guest: Morna Ballantyne, the Executive Director of Child Care Now, Canada's national child care advocacy organization. We are honoured and grateful to welcome Morna Ballantyne to share insights on her involvement in the childcare profession, her national organization Child Care Now, and guidance and advice for childcare activists and advocates.Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Welcome to Episode 2 in Season 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special (and familiar) guest: Sharon Gregson, the provincial spokesperson for the $10aDay Child Care Campaign. We are honoured and grateful to welcome Sharon Gregson to share insights on the wage grid, expansion of new programs, and how to reduce fees to provide accessible, and affordable child care.Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Welcome to Episode 1 in Season 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome you back to our podcast with our special guests: Derek Dubois & Tatiana Abi-Farrage, two early childhood education students from Vancouver Community College.We are honoured and grateful to welcome Derek Dubois & Tatiana Abi-Farrage to share insights and personal experiences with us as they continue their education and career path in the childcare field.Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Welcome to Episode 9 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome our special guests: Friday Bailey, Norma Stokes and Katie Wahl.We are honoured and grateful to welcome Friday Bailey, Norma Stokes and Katie Wahl to share how all the child care system changes are impacting rural communities from three Early Childhood Educators currently working in the field.Learn more by listening to the episode now!

Welcome to Episode 8 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome our special guest: Minister Debra Fisher, Métis Nation BC.Minister Debra Fisher is a loving daughter and wife who has hosted and cared for numerous international students, as well as children in foster care and short and long term emergency care. For over 26 years, she has worked in the educational setting, primarily as an Indigenous Education Support Worker. When Debra was given the title of Minister of Education (K-12 & Early Years), she was proud to be given this portfolio and continue meaningful work in the lives of children.In this episode, we discuss Debra's career, the best ways to introduce and engage preschool age children with Métis people, resources, and more!

Welcome to Episode 7 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome our special guest: Eric Swanson.Eric Swanson is a founding partner of Third Space Planning, where they support local governments and not-for-profit organizations with planning and policy development. Eric also co-authored the policy note, ‘Child Care and the Environment: Intersections and Opportunities in BC', with Lynell Anderson for ECEBC and the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.In this episode, we discuss the connections between childcare and the environment, childcare facilities, powering a clean economy and more!

Welcome to Episode 6 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we welcome our special guest: Grace Lore. Grace Lore was elected the MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill in 2020. She is also the Minister of State for Child Care. She has been a dedicated anti-violence advocate, academic instructor and researcher, and community housing organizer.Prior to the election, she taught in the Department of Political Science at the University of Victoria and previously at the University of British Columbia. She taught Canadian politics, gender and politics, statistics, and research methods. Her research focused on political participation and representation, electoral systems, and social media harassment, and online violence.In this episode, we discuss the benefits of universal health care programs,  expectations of group child care programs, next steps for child care activists, and more!

Welcome to Episode 5 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. We start off the new year with 2 very special guests: Maria Rodrigues and Linda Fong. Maria and Linda are both recipients of the Prime Ministers Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education. In this episode, we welcome back Gyda Chud to help us acknowledge the incredible changes and practices that Maria and Linda have developed for children, families and educators. Throughout the podcast, we discuss Maria and Linda's exciting nominations, their committed history in the ECE profession, best practices and more.Join us for this inspiring interview. We are looking forward to what the rest of 2023 has in store!

Welcome to Episode 4 in Season 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. Today we turn the tables on our Interviewer Extraordinaire Gyda Chud, and ask her about her experiences and learning from her many years in the Child Care Sector. Gyda discusses the importance of sharing stories in retaining and embedding learning, for both children and adults, and then shares with us some of the wonderfully insightful anecdotes she has gathered from her time in the BC early years sector. Gyda also speaks to the many challenges and complexities that come with working in Early Childhood and praises ECEs for their resilience and commitment to uplifting children and families. Join us for an inspirational end to the year, and we'll be back for more in 2023!

Welcome back to Season 2! We are so grateful for your support and interest in this Podcast, as we follow BC's Path to Universal Child Care, along with a series of special guests from the child care community. In Episode 3, Gyda, Nora and Crystal chat with Adrienne Montani - social justice activist, child and youth advocate, past Vancouver School Board chair and Executive Director of First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society.First Call's work is guided by the 4 Keys to Success for Children and Youth and these are: A strong commitment to early childhood developmentSupport in transitions from childhood to youth and adulthoodIncreased economic equalitySafe and caring communitiesGyda and Adrienne chat about child and youth advocacy, child care wins for families, retention and recruitment of Early Childhood Educators in BC and improvements to services and support for families and children.

In this episode, we explore how we find and sustain professional connections and meaning through communities of practice. We talk with Jacqueline Ewonus, Jen Vanderberg, Lisa Nicholson, and Nicky Byres who are working as community of practice mentors with the ECE Professional Development Bursary Program. They share their powerful stories about participating in and leading communities of practice and the transformation that happens. Follow up with Jacqueline, Jen, Lisa, and Nicky through Instagram or Twitter @bc_communities_of_practice. Find out how to get funding for a community of practice at  eceprodbursary.org

Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre is absolutely thrilled to be celebrating our 35th year and to be able to say that funding child care is finally a priority for all levels of government. We are excited to revisit the government's promises and commitments with a look back at the past 35 years of Westcoast. Our former Executive Directors Maryann Bird, Dianne Liscumb, and Pam Preston discuss how Westcoast both affected change and was impacted by government policy over the past 35 years. For Season 1 and other previous episodes visit wccrc.ca/news-articles or find us wherever you get your podcasts!

This is a short update on what to expect with our podcast BC's Path to Universal Child Care in September. It's been a couple of months since our last episode and we wanted to let all our listeners know what to look forward to. 

In Episode 8 Gyda introduces Stephanie Smith from BC General Employees Union (also known as the BCGEU) to discuss the role of Unions in supporting child care sector during this time of change. Stephanie has been President at the BCGEU since May 2014, but previous to that she had a long career working as both an Early Childhood Educator and as a child care advocate. Stephanie and Gyda chat about the history of the BCGEU in supporting child care professionals, Stephanie's personal experience in the child care sector, the differences for non-profit and for-profit child care providers, the benefits of a unionized workplace and the role of the unions in supporting the next steps on BC's path to universal child care.

Episode 7 of Universal Child Care Podcast welcomes Karen Isaac from BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS) to discuss the impacts of the federal Early care and Learning plan and the $10aDay child care plan on Indigenous children and families in BC.Karen joins us to discuss specific challenges facing early care and learning educators working in Indigenous contexts. We examine the provincial and federal child care plans and how they address the needs of Indigenous families and educators, and where there are gaps.Karen shares her 3 Rs for moving forward to place the needs of Indigenous children and Families at the heart of child care changes in BC: Respect, Reconciliation and Redress. We end by acknowledging the challenges but also the hopes and optimism for steps to be taken towards an early care and learning model that address inherent systemic inequalities.

In episode 6 of our podcast charting BC's Path to Universal Child Care, we explore Child Care Activism and Advocacy with Sharon Gregson, the provincial spokesperson for the $10aDay Child Care Campaign. Sharon shares her journey to becoming a child care activist and what spurs her on in the campaign for a more equitable child care strategy for children and families.We discuss the history and successes of the 10aDay campaign, what the Federal Government's commitment and funding means for families and care providers in BC, and next steps for people who are interested in advocating for the respect and recognition that child care providers deserve.Listen below or find us on any of your favourite podcast sites to stream or download any of our episodes!You can find out more about child care advocacy at www.cccabc.bc.ca and www.10aday.ca.

Welcome to episode 5! In this episode Gyda welcomes Public Policy Researcher and Community Engagement Specialist Lynell Anderson. In June, 2020 ECEBC and the Coalition published the report Next Step: A Competitive, Publicly Funded Provincial Wage Grid is the Solution to BC's ECE Shortage which was researched by Lynell. Lynell joins us to discuss the development of a wage grid for the early childhood education sector in BC and to update us on the latest steps toward implementation. You can find out more about child care advocacy at www.cccabc.bc.ca/ and show your support with 'quick clicks' at www.10aday.ca/

Welcome back to our Podcast and Happy New year! In Epsiode 4, Gyda welcomes her very own 'in real life' sister, Rita Chudnovsky! A tireless child care advocate, Rita talks us through the Roadmap for $10aday Child Care in BC, which is shortly to be released and encompasses over a decade of knowledge and support for high quality, affordable and accessible child care from the Coalition. Rita and Gyda discuss recent updates to the Roadmap, recommendations for action and the next steps in sharing this work with our community and the government. 

Thank you for joining us on the BC's Path to Universal Child Care podcast! In Episode 3, Gyda  welcomes our colleagues from the Early Childhood Pedagogy Network, also known as the ECPN, to discuss the ways their work brings families and early childhood professionals together in purposeful, mutually beneficial learning situations. Supporting professional development and pedagogical networks and partnerships to implement BC's Early Learning Framework is part of the four building blocks in the 10-a-day Roadmap to universal child care. Kathleen Kummen, Veronica Pacini-Ketchabaw and Teresa Smith join us to discuss how pedagogists support educators to co-construct curriculum with children and bring to life the vision of the BC Early Learning Framework. We also have information for those looking to work with or become a pedagogist.

Welcome back to BC's Path to Universal Child Care podcast! In Episode 2, Gyda interviews Emily Gawlick, Executive Director and Sue Irwin, Interim Director of Programs from Early Childhood Educators of BC also known as ECEBC. ECEBC has been the collective voice of Early Childhood Educators in BC since 1969. Emily and Sue give us the current context for issues in the field, the Wage Enhancement incentive, the ECE labour market and also offer some insights into future initiatives and programs from ECEBC.

In this episode, hosted by the incomparable Gyda Chud, our longstanding advocate and expert in child care and founding board member of Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre, we interview the Honourable Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. Gyda and Minister Chen chat about the benefits of a Universal Child Care System to many stakeholders, including parents, child care providers and ECE students.