The Ray of Sunshine Child Care and Drop in Center

Today, I’m excited to officially announce that I am running for School Trustee for School District 19.

This decision comes from years of working with children, families, educators and community organizations in Revelstoke — and from believing that we can always do better for our kids.

I believe our school district has an incredible foundation. We have dedicated educators, engaged families, talented students and a community that cares deeply about the future of our children.
But I also believe we need trustees who are willing to listen, ask difficult questions, think outside the box and turn community concerns into practical solutions.

If elected, these will be my priorities:

STUDENTS FIRST
Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, included and capable of success. Student learning, mental and emotional well-being and a genuine sense of belonging must remain at the centre of our decisions.

STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SCHOOLS & COMMUNITY
Our schools don't operate in isolation. Childcare providers, families, community organizations, local businesses and other partners all play a role in helping children succeed. I want to strengthen those relationships and find more opportunities to work together.

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT
University is not the only measure of success. Trades, technology, entrepreneurship, arts, outdoor education and other career pathways matter. I want our students to graduate with confidence, practical skills and a clear sense of what comes next.

SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN
Teachers, ECEs, support staff, administrators and everyone working in our schools deserve the resources and support they need to do their jobs well. When we support our educators, we support our students.

EARLY LEARNING MATTERS
The years before kindergarten matter enormously. As a childcare operator, I have seen firsthand how important the transition into school is for children and families. I want to build stronger connections between early learning, childcare, StrongStart and our schools so children enter kindergarten ready to learn and families feel supported.

RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS & ACCOUNTABILITY
As trustees, we have a responsibility to make thoughtful decisions with public dollars. I will advocate for transparency, meaningful community consultation and clear communication about the decisions being made and why.

SD19's own strategic plan speaks about nurturing a joy for lifelong learning, supporting the physical, mental and emotional well-being of students, developing critical and creative thinkers, advancing Truth and Reconciliation, and preparing students for the next stage of their lives.

I believe those goals are the right ones. My focus will be on making sure we turn those goals into meaningful action for the children and families of Revelstoke.

I’m not running because I think I have all the answers.
I’m running because I know how to listen. I know how to build partnerships. I know how to advocate. And I’m willing to do the work.

Our children are the future of Revelstoke.
Let’s make sure they have every opportunity to succeed.

Local voices. Practical solutions. A strong future for our kids.

I would be honoured to have your support.
Joanne Gawler
Candidate for School Trustee
School District 19 - Revelstoke

https://kootenaybiz.com/revelstoke/article/building_a_brighter_future_for_revelstokes_youngest_residents

Photos are by Keri Knapp

Building a brighter future for Revelstoke’s youth | Kootenay Business After identifying a critical need for more accessible child care, Joanne Gawler created a model built for the way people actually live and work.

Thank you to ALL the families that filled in the survey!!!!

📣 SURVEY CONFIRMS CHILDCARE SHORTAGES ARE IMPACTING FAMILIES, WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION, AND LOCAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.

The Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce has released the findings of the 2026 Childcare Needs Assessment, a community-wide survey that confirms childcare availability remains one of the most significant barriers facing families, employers, and the local economy. The assessment gathered feedback from 246 respondents and provides a detailed picture of the challenges families experience accessing affordable, reliable childcare in Revelstoke.

https://business.revelstokechamber.com/news/Details/revelstoke-childcare-needs-assessment-highlights-urgent-need-for-more-childcare-spaces-342050

https://childcareadvocacy.ca/

Child Care Advocacy Canada - Quality Care for Every Child Join the movement for accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care across Canada. Advocating for policies that support children, families, and communities.

Today we say "see you later" to someone who has been part of the very beginning of the Ray of Sunshine story.

Arielle was one of our very first educators, helping lay the foundation for the warm, caring, and nurturing environment that so many children and families have come to know and love. From countless hugs and high-fives to laughter, learning, and endless patience, she has touched the lives of so many little ones over the years.

While we're incredibly sad to see her go, we're also so excited for her as she heads off on her next adventure. We know she'll bring the same kindness, passion, and dedication wherever life takes her.

Arielle, thank you for believing in our vision from the very beginning and for being such an important part of our journey. Your impact on our children, families, and team will never be forgotten.

Please join us in wishing Arielle all the best as she begins this exciting new chapter. 💛 We will miss you more than words can say, but we'll be cheering you on every step of the way.

Once a Ray of Sunshine teacher, always part of the Ray of Sunshine family. ☀️❤️

My name is Joanne Gawler. Over the past six years, through founding the Revelstoke After School Society and Ray of Sunshine Child Care, I have helped create more than 150 licensed child care spaces in Revelstoke. I am currently working toward opening an additional 52 spaces in the fall of 2027. In addition, I helped coordinate a community-wide child care survey involving 245 local families, giving me both an operator's perspective and a direct understanding of the challenges families face in accessing care.

The findings were striking. Approximately 71% of parents reported that they were unable to return to work as planned due to a lack of child care. On average, families estimated losing approximately $35,000 annually in income, representing an estimated $3 million in lost economic activity across our community of Revelstoke each year. Imagine what this means for the Province. (Pause for effect)

The survey also found that approximately 55–60% of families were unable to secure licensed child care at all. The shortage is particularly severe for children under the age of three, where available spaces are extremely limited.

I am speaking from direct experience navigating the challenges of building, staffing, and operating child care programs in British Columbia.

Too often, child care is viewed as a family issue or a social service. While it certainly supports families, its impact extends far beyond individual households. Child care is economic infrastructure. Just like roads, schools, and public transit, it enables people to participate in the workforce and contribute to our economy.

When families cannot find affordable, reliable child care, parents are forced to reduce work hours, turn down promotions, delay returning to work, or leave the workforce altogether. Employers struggle to recruit and retain staff, labour shortages worsen, and communities lose economic capacity. The consequences are felt not only by families, but by businesses, local economies, and the province as a whole.

More importantly, child care is much more than workforce support. It is the beginning of a child's educational journey. If we want strong outcomes in K–12 education, post-secondary success, workforce readiness, and long-term economic stability, we must recognize that learning begins long before a child enters kindergarten.

I would like to offer three recommendations for consideration in Budget 2027 to actually help fix these issues.

My first recommendation is to formally integrate child care into British Columbia's publicly funded Birth-to-Grade-12 education system and establish wage parity and increased professional recognition for Early Childhood Educators.

ECEs support children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development during some of the most important years of brain development. Currently, child care and education operate as separate systems, creating fragmentation and missed opportunities for collaboration. By fully integrating child care into the education system, we can create a seamless continuum of support from infancy through graduation.

Families should not have to navigate disconnected services as their children grow. Instead, early learning, educational supports, and community services should work together within a coordinated system.

A long-term workforce strategy should include competitive wages, benefits, professional development opportunities, and a pathway toward parity with other educators. If we truly believe that early learning is education, then ECEs must be recognized and compensated as educators.

My second recommendation is to increase long-term, stable operational and capital funding for licensed child care programs, particularly in rural and high-demand communities.

Government capital funding is often inaccessible to entrepreneurs, even though entrepreneurs can frequently create new spaces more quickly than larger non-profit organizations. As someone who has personally created more than 150 child care spaces and is working toward opening another 52, I have seen firsthand both the demand for child care and the barriers to expansion.

While many funding opportunities prioritize not-for- profit organizations, private operators are also making significant investments to meet community needs. Any qualified provider that meets provincial standards, accountability requirements, and quality expectations should have access to support for creating new spaces.

If we recognize early learning as part of the education system, then we must also recognize child care as public infrastructure. The funding required to create new child care spaces should be treated as an investment in education, supported through public dollars in the same way we fund schools.

My third recommendation is to invest in school-age care, summer programming, and affordable access to recreation, arts, and enrichment opportunities for children and youth.

For many families, summer care is one of the largest annual child care expenses. Parents still need to work when school is out, yet summer camps and school-age programs can cost hundreds of dollars per week per child. For my 2 children that are under the age of 10, I have spent 5 thousand dollars for 6 weeks of care and I have had to take 3 weeks off of work to try and make some of that money back.

Beyond child care, access to arts, recreation, and community programming is increasingly determined by a family's financial circumstances. Dance, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, swimming lessons, music, visual arts, and other enrichment opportunities should not be available only to those who can afford them.

Whether through direct funding to non-profit organizations, enhanced support for community programs, or a benefit that follows the child, government investment can help ensure that all children and youth have access to safe, enriching opportunities that support healthy development and community connection.

By recognizing early learning as education, recognizing ECEs as educators, supporting all qualified providers in creating new child care spaces, and ensuring that children and families have access to affordable care and enriching programs from infancy through adolescence, we are doing far more than funding child care. We are building the foundation for a stronger economy, healthier communities, and a brighter future for British Columbia.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I welcome your questions.

May has arrived—and in British Columbia, that means it’s time to celebrate the magic of child care! 🎉

Child Care Month shines a spotlight on the incredible early childhood educators (ECEs), ECE-A's, Responsible adults and providers who show up every day with patience, creativity, and care. They’re the ones building forts, wiping tears, sparking curiosity, and creating spaces where every child feels safe, included, and ready to grow.

Be sure to mark your calendar for Child Care Provider Appreciation Day on May 8, 2026—a perfect moment to say a big, heartfelt thank you to the people who do so much for our children and our community. 💛

Tomorrow is that last day to have your say! If you are currently or have been in the childcare stress please have your say. These results will be compiled by a third party and presented on our behalf to the City and to the Province to explain how Revelstoke is unique and growing rapidly with more need for childcare spaces!

Revelstoke Child Care Needs Assessment Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.