---
title: "Childcare for All, Universal Meals and Protected School Lands: the OneCity plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me"
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last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:00:42.755Z"
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**

OneCity · Vancouver 2026

# OneCity School Board plan: child care in schools and free meals for every student

OneCity's School Board candidates say they would put neighbourhood schools at the centre of a public and non-profit child care system, build a universal school meal program for every VSB student, and protect school land while keeping school grounds open to the public after hours.

All 3 commitments  [Read the party's own page ](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools)

[**13**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/candidates) [**7/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/platform) [**14**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/money)

**8**Questions answered

BETTER SCHOOLS

## Childcare for All, Universal Meals and Protected School Lands: what the Our Plans says

Beyond the two building projects, OneCity's Better Schools plan of September 29, 2026 sets out three district-wide promises. The party says it wants public schools to be the centre of a public child care system, to feed students and to keep public land public. On child care, OneCity would place neighbourhood schools at the centre of a coordinated system of public and non-profit care, starting with pilots and planning led by the Vancouver School Board. On food, it would build a universal school meal program so every VSB student can get healthy food during the school day, whatever their family's income.

The third promise is about land. The party would plan schools together with neighbourhood growth, protect school land for future generations, and keep school grounds open for responsible public use outside school hours. Elsewhere in its material, the party says it would carry out its plan without selling any public land. The School Board can run pilots, plan its sites and set rules for its grounds. Child care licensing and operating money are provincial, and how neighbourhoods grow is set by City Council through zoning, so two of these promises need other governments.

3 COMMITMENTS

## What the party says it would do

1. ### Childcare for All

   OneCity would place neighbourhood schools at the centre of a coordinated public and non-profit child care system, with pilots and planning led by the VSB.<dl><dt>Who has the power</dt><dd>City, with others Child care licensing, subsidies and operating money are provincial, so the School Board can offer space and lead pilots.</dd><dt>Source</dt><dd><a href="https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools">OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes</a></dd></dl>
2. ### Universal, Nutritious Meals

   The party would build a universal school food program so that every VSB student, whatever their financial background, can get healthy food during the school day.<dl><dt>Who has the power</dt><dd>School Board The School Board runs its schools and can set up a meal program, paid from a district budget that depends on provincial funding.</dd><dt>Source</dt><dd><a href="https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools">OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes</a></dd></dl>
3. ### Protected School Lands

   OneCity would plan schools together with neighbourhood growth, protect school land for future generations, and keep school grounds open for responsible public use outside school hours.<dl><dt>Who has the power</dt><dd>City, with others The School Board controls its land and grounds, while Council sets the zoning that decides how neighbourhoods grow.</dd><dt>Source</dt><dd><a href="https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools">OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes</a></dd></dl>

WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT

## Where the power sits for this chapter

City, with others2

School Board1

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

## Questions about childcare for all, universal meals and protected school lands

<details>

<summary>Does OneCity support free school meals in Vancouver?

</summary>

Yes. OneCity's School Board candidates say they would build a universal, nutritious school food program so every VSB student, whatever their family's income, can get healthy food during the school day (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is OneCity's plan for child care in schools?

</summary>

OneCity would place neighbourhood schools at the centre of a coordinated public and non-profit child care system, starting with pilots and planning led by the Vancouver School Board. Licensing and operating money for child care come from the Province (OneCity Better Schools plan).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Would OneCity keep school playgrounds open after hours?

</summary>

Yes. OneCity says it would keep school grounds available for responsible public use outside school hours, and protect school land for future generations (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can the Vancouver School Board create child care on its own?

</summary>

The School Board can offer space in schools and lead pilots, which is what OneCity proposes. Child care licensing, subsidies and operating money are set by the Province, so a full system needs provincial support (OneCity Better Schools plan).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Would OneCity sell school land?

</summary>

OneCity says it would protect school land for future generations, and its Better Schools plan says it would be carried out without selling any public land (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).

</details>

ON THE BALLOT

## The OneCity candidates behind this

### School Board

[301**Krista Sigurdson**Ballot 301](https://voche.me/candidates/krista-sigurdson) [302**Rory Brown**Ballot 302](https://voche.me/candidates/rory-brown) [321**Sherry Breshears**Ballot 321](https://voche.me/candidates/sherry-breshears) [325**Christopher Lee (李基鵬)**Ballot 325](https://voche.me/candidates/christopher-lee) [328**Steve Cardwell**Ballot 328](https://voche.me/candidates/steve-cardwell)

## 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.

1. [OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes ](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools)SAYS SO ITSELFOneCity · published September 29, 2026 · checked September 30, 2026

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.