Hours & Fees

🌲 IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM MOUSEWOOD 🌲

 

Dear Mousewood Families,

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We want to share some important changes as Mousewood adapts to meet the realities of this moment while keeping our vision for children alive.

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When we first opened, our goal was to offer full-time forest and nature care for 3–5 year olds, alongside infant toddler care, preschool, and homeschool programs. Despite strong interest at the start, enrolment hasn’t matched what families told us they wanted. At the same time, government funding decisions and city delays have made it difficult, if not impossible, to operate as originally planned.

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Rather than close our doors, we are making adjustments so that Mousewood can continue to serve children and families while we wait for our Temporary Use Permit zoning approval.

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Stage 1 (Now – Survival Mode)

• Chickadees (Upstairs): Now focused on Infant-Toddler program for 3 children.

• The Bunny Burrow (Downstairs): Temporarily an Infant-Toddler program for 3 children (possibly 4 if a sibling is age 3).

• Upstairs Multi-age Spaces: 5 spaces available for:

  • Preschooler Mornings and Part-time Care – two options: Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri

  • Homeschool Wednesdays— 3 hours; AM and PM

 

Stage 2 (When TUP zoning passes)

• Chickadees (Upstairs): Anticipate a licensed Infant-Toddler Centre, moving all six infants and toddlers upstairs into a dedicated program for eight.

• The Burrow (Downstairs): Will then expand to 8 spaces for older children, and reopen, continuing the older children’s programs that were upstairs in Stage 1.

 

FEE STRUCTURE CHANGES

We are introducing changes in the fee schedule effective SEPTEMBER 1, 2025.

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We want to be transparent about why this is happening.

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The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) is a government subsidy program for most parents. In order for the parents to receive the subsidy, their daycare must apply for and be accepted into the CCFRI program. At Mousewood, we need to be able to offer the CCFRI to our families.

The CCFRI program recently set strict, capped monthly childcare fee “benchmark” amounts for all new childcare facilities in the CCFRI program. These capped benchmark fees apply to any CCFRI programs operating more than 4 hours per day with the minimum required staff.

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Mousewood offers long hours for parents, small classes, and has always staffed above the minimum because we believe children deserve safe, inclusive, high-quality care — especially in a forest and nature school setting. However, this means our costs are higher while government support is lower.

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Our initial application was declined at the end of July. We have just been denied our appeal to the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) board to allow us to be in the CCFRI program while keeping our fees at $1800 monthly.  We were informed that to be in the CCFRI program, we must cap our fees at their “benchmark,” and then use “optional add-on fees” to meet our $1800 monthly fee. Rather ridiculous.

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To keep access to CCFRI for families, we have had no choice but to restructure our fees into a “Choose Your Own Fees” 5 tiered model based on attendance hours. This allows families to still access subsidies while ensuring Mousewood can cover staffing and operating costs.

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To be clear, in order to stay open, we have had to adjust our fee schedule so that:

• Families can access CCFRI reductions where possible.

• Mousewood can cover the real costs of staffing, supplies, and safe ratios.

 

We understand this is frustrating.

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We wish the funding model supported innovative, inclusive programs like Mousewood more fully. But these changes are necessary to keep the doors open and ensure we can continue providing childcare.

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We will continue to apply for grants and pursue charity status in order to receive sponsorship to reduce the fees of childcare spaces.

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We know these changes are not easy, and we are deeply grateful for your patience, trust, and continued support. Mousewood exists because of families who believe in this unique childcare alternative, and together we can nurture something truly special for the children of Prince George.

 

With gratitude,
💚 The Mousewood Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How It Works

• The following graphics show the new 5 tier “Choose Your Own Fee”  system.

• Mousewood accepts CCFRI, ACCB, and other subsidies, such as Metis.

 

Part-time Childcare for Preschoolers

• Part-time childcare is 2 days per week.

• Part-time childcare days for preschoolers are the same days as the Morning Classes:

  • Mondays and Thursdays

  • Tuesdays and Fridays

• Children must stay in their own cohorts so that they can build friendships with the same children every time they come.

• Part-time also uses the “Choose Your Own Fee” system. However, it is prorated to 2 days per week.

• Part-time qualifies for CCFRI.

 

Morning Preschooler Programs and the Homeschooler Program

• The last 2 pages are the Morning Preschooler Programs and the Homeschooler Programs. Those programs have VERY special rates to encourage people to try the forest school.

• These programs have changed days and fees due to issues beyond Mousewood’s control.

  • Preschoolers:  $320

    • Mondays and Thursdays;  8:45 – 1:00

    • Tuesdays and Fridays;  8:45 – 1:00

  • Homeschoolers:  $120     Wednesdays:  9:00- 12:00  or  1:00 – 4:00

• These programs now have 5 spaces instead of 4 spaces.