Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre

Inspiring & Promoting Excellence in Child Care & Early Learning

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 3:

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 3 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast! 

During this episode we explore the BC Early Years Professional Development Bursary Program—what it is, why it matters, and how it’s shaping educators' learning across the province of British Columbia, in Canada. Our guests are two impactful leaders—Kathreen Riel, who manages the bursary fund, and Maryam Naddaf, Director of Frog Hollow’s Reggio-Inspired Learning Centre.  

Listen now at BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 3: Kathreen Riel & Maryam Naddaf or wherever you get your podcasts.

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 2: Gabriela Cervantes

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 2 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast! 

During this episode we're excited to kick things off with a special guest who has dedicated much of her career to advocating for the rights and well-being of children and families, especially those from equity-seeking communities. We were honoured to spend time with Gabriela Cervantes, a public policy, and advocacy specialist with OXFAM Canadaand The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC. 

Listen now at BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 2: Gabriela Cervantes or wherever you get your podcasts.

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 1: Sharon Gregson

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 1 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast! 

We’re kicking things off with a powerful conversation featuring longtime advocate Sharon Gregson. Sharon, spokesperson for the $10aDay Campaign, returns to share exciting updates from the Coalition of Child Care Advocates and ECEBC as they relaunch their push for universal, affordable, high-quality child care in BC.

Tune in to hear about the campaign’s renewed momentum and why this moment is so critical for children, families, and the future of child care in our province.

Listen now at BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 5, Episode 1: Sharon Gregson or wherever you get your podcasts.

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 7: Bridgitte Alomes & Rory Richards

Tune in to Episode 7 in Season 4 of our BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast. In 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.

Listen now!

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 6: Sharon Gregson

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. 

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 5: Bridgitte Alomes & Rory Richards

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 who lead B Corp-certified companies, partnering to tackle one of the biggest challenges in child care today—access to high-quality learning environments. 

Learn more by listening to the episode now!

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 4: Viveca Ellis

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. 

Learn more by listening to the episode now!

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 3: Joan Gignac

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).

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 2: Joan Gignac

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. 

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 4, Episode 1: Michelle Mungall

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. 

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 3, Episode 4: Carrie McCormack

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.

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.

 

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BC

BC's Path to Universal Child Care Podcast Season 3, Episode 3: Morna Ballantyne

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!

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