A long-awaited youth health and wellness centre is coming to the West Shore, alongside dozens of new child-care spaces, as the City of Langford moves ahead with a major community facility designed to support families from early childhood through young adulthood. The city announced Monday that a new two-storey building at 2805 Carlow Rd. will house 73 licensed child-care spaces on the ground floor and Foundry West Shore on the second floor, creating a central hub for child care, mental health and wellness services. The project is supported by more than $7.1 million in provincial and federal funding through ChildCareBC’s New Spaces Fund and is expected to open in spring 2028. For years, community organizations have been working to bring a permanent Foundry location to the rapidly growing West Shore, where youth and families often face barriers accessing mental health and wellness services. Once open, Foundry West Shore will provide free and confidential supports for young people aged 12 to 24, including mental health care, substance-use services, physical and sexual health care, peer support, and help with education, employment and community connections. “Young people deserve easy access to care that meets them where they are, without barriers or stigma,” Health Minister Josie Osborne said in a statement. “Foundry West Shore will bring critical mental health, substance use and wellness supports together under one roof, making it easier for youth and their families to get help early.” The facility will be operated through a partnership between the City of Langford, Thrive Social Services Society and Foundry BC. Scott Bradford, executive director of Thrive Social Services Society, said securing a permanent location marks a significant milestone after an extensive search for suitable space. “We are pleased to move forward collaboratively to create a welcoming, youth-friendly space where young people can access the supports they need to thrive,” Bradford said. The project also addresses another growing need in the region: access to licensed child care. The 73 new spaces are expected to help ease pressure on local families in one of British Columbia’s fastest-growing communities. “These new spaces will help ease the pressure on parents and give more children a place to learn and grow in their own community,” said Stephanie McLean, Canada’s secretary of state for seniors and MP for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke. The development represents a shift from the property’s original purpose. The site had previously been slated for a six-storey affordable housing project, but changes to the timing of provincial housing funding led the city to pursue a different community-focused use for the land. Mayor Scott Goodmanson said the new plan allows two critical services to be delivered from one accessible location. “This project highlights what can be achieved through community partnerships,” Goodmanson said. “Co-locating child care and youth wellness services maximizes community benefit and ensures families can access essential services in a safe, welcoming and accessible environment.” The site is currently home to the Centennial Centre for Arts, which will relocate to a new facility under construction on Glen Lake Road in early 2027. Demolition of the existing building and construction of the new centre are expected to begin shortly afterward. When completed, the facility will become the first dedicated Foundry centre in the West Shore, giving local youth and families access to a range of health and wellness supports closer to home while expanding much-needed child-care capacity for the region.
