Vancouver Greens on childcare: faster approvals, lower fees and space in city buildings
The Green Party of Vancouver would allow childcare in more places, cut permit fees and speed up approvals for licensed providers, and lease City-owned space to them below market rates. It would also add recreation fee assistance, more low-cost programs and support for equipment lending libraries.
AFFORDABLE LIVING · PAGE 21
Childcare, Families and Public Recreation: what the Platform 2026 says
The Green Party of Vancouver's childcare and recreation commitments fill page 21 of its 2026 platform. There are five of them. Three deal with childcare: letting it open in more places, making it cheaper to open, and using city buildings to house it. The other two deal with the cost of free time, through cheaper recreation and shared lending libraries for tools and gear.
The party says families should find quality childcare close to where they live, work and learn, including at the times of day and night they need it. To get there, the Greens would allow childcare wherever it fits, cut permit fees, speed up approvals and remove rules the platform calls unnecessary for licensed providers. They would also lease suitable City-owned spaces to licensed providers at rents below market rates, and work with the Park Board to add childcare in community centres.
On recreation, the platform promises more fee assistance, more low-cost programs and community centre budgets that stay properly funded. It would support equipment libraries where residents borrow tools, sports gear, gardening supplies and repair equipment. Council controls the zoning and permits behind childcare, while the Province licenses and funds it. The elected Park Board runs community centres, so recreation fees and programs there are its decision.
5 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Childcare everywhere
The Greens would make it faster and easier to create childcare spaces in every community, allowing childcare wherever appropriate and speeding up approvals. The platform says this would make it easier and more affordable to open childcare centres, so families find quality childcare close to where they live, work and learn, at the times of day and night they need it.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the zoning and approvals that decide where childcare can open, while licensing and operating funding are set by the Province.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 21
Reduce childcare costs by cutting rules and fees
The Greens would reduce permit fees, speed up approvals and remove what the platform calls unnecessary rules for licensed childcare providers, to lower the cost of opening and expanding childcare.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the city's permit fees and runs its own approval process.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 21
Childcare in City-owned facilities
The Greens would lease or support suitable City-owned spaces at below-market rates for licensed childcare providers. They would work with the Park Board to expand childcare in community centres across Vancouver.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council decides how City-owned buildings are used, but community centres are run by the separately elected Park Board, which would have to agree.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 21
Recreation everyone can afford
The Greens would expand affordable recreation by increasing fee assistance, adding more low-cost programs, and making sure community centre budgets stay properly funded.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The elected Park Board controls community centres, pools and rinks, so recreation fees and programs are its decision.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 21
Community equipment libraries
The Greens would support equipment lending libraries that give residents low-cost access to tools, sports equipment, recreation gear, gardening supplies, repair equipment and other shared items. The platform says this would reduce household costs and build connections between neighbours.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council can fund community groups through city grants and offer them city space.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 21
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about childcare, families and public recreation
What is the Green Party of Vancouver's plan for childcare?
The Green Party of Vancouver would allow childcare wherever appropriate, speed up approvals, and cut permit fees for licensed providers. It would also lease City-owned spaces to licensed providers below market rates and work with the Park Board to add childcare in community centres (platform, page 21).
Would the Vancouver Greens cut permit fees for daycares?
Yes. The Green Party of Vancouver would reduce permit fees, speed up approvals and remove what it calls unnecessary rules for licensed childcare providers, to lower the cost of opening and expanding childcare (platform, page 21).
Does the Green Party of Vancouver support childcare at night?
The Green Party of Vancouver says families should be able to find quality childcare close to where they live, work and learn, during the times of day and night that they need it (platform, page 21).
Can Vancouver City Council lower childcare fees under the Green plan?
Council controls the zoning, permits and City-owned buildings that affect what it costs to open a childcare centre, and the Green Party of Vancouver's plan works through those. Licensing, parent subsidies and operating funding for childcare are set by the Province, so those parts are outside Council's control (platform, page 21).
What would Vancouver's Greens do about recreation costs?
The Green Party of Vancouver would increase fee assistance, add more low-cost programs and make sure community centre budgets stay properly funded. Community centres are run by the elected Park Board, so these changes need its support (platform, page 21).
What are the community equipment libraries in the Green Party of Vancouver platform?
The Green Party of Vancouver would support lending libraries where residents borrow tools, sports equipment, recreation gear, gardening supplies and repair equipment. The party says this would lower household costs and build connections between neighbours (platform, page 21).
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 21 · published · checked