North Island College, partners and guests gathered the morning of Sept. 25 to celebrate a new addition to the Comox Valley campus: The Centre of Excellence in Learning.
The event opened with the dancers from the K’ómoks First Nation (KFN), one of the partners on the project. Speakers included representatives from the college, KFN and neighbouring Beaufort Children’s Centre.
“One of NIC’s strategic goals is to expand childcare spaces and early childhood care and education programming,” said Lisa Domae, NIC President and CEO. “By working with the Province and partners like the Beaufort Children’s Centre and K’ómoks First Nation, we can proudly say we are providing more options for parents and helping meet demand for early childhood educators in British Columbia. Through this project, NIC is working to build healthy and thriving communities, one student at a time.”
KFN has been involved as a partner throughout the project and participated in the design concepts for the new building and site. As part of the ceremony, K’ómoks First Nation gifted a traditional name of qʷənɛs—an Ayajuthem word for “whale.” The name references the qʷənɛs (Queneesh) Glacier, a prominent landmark visible throughout the Comox Valley, which carries deep cultural significance through the Legend of Queneesh, an important K'ómoks story about resilience, preparation, community and survival.
For NIC, all students will benefit from this new learning environment, including those from Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). As the college moves into the space, it will have 24 base-funded ECCE certificate students and 20 international Infant Toddler Diploma students in their second year. These students will have the chance to interact directly with children and educators from the Beaufort Children’s Centre, which will enhance their experiential learning at NIC and ultimately the work they will do in their professional practice.
“This new space will enrich learning, spark curiosity, strengthen connections with families and create opportunities for our broader community to learn, grow and thrive together,” said Solomon Agyeman-Duah, early childhood care and education diploma student. “The environment promises that childhood is cherished, curiosity is encouraged and every child is given space to flourish.”
The latest B.C. Labour Market Outlook 10-year forecast projects a two-per-cent annual growth rate for childcare services in the province through 2035, with more than half of the 11,700 job openings coming from expansion rather than replacement of current workers.
The new site includes space for the college but also additional space that Beaufort Children’s Centre will lease to provide childcare. The project adds 75 new childcare spaces, with priority given to NIC students with children, then NIC faculty and staff. This will complement the existing 53 spaces at Beaufort.
“The expansion of spaces at Beaufort Children’s Centre will help NIC students and the broader community by easing the extensive childcare waitlist throughout our community and providing more families with access to reliable, inclusive and high-quality early learning and care,” said Amanda Peters, Executive Co-ordinator, Beaufort Children’s Centre. “We will be able to support more children and families while continuing to provide a nurturing, inclusive environment where children learn, explore and grow through play.”