Earlier this year we completed a fire safety plan for a new daycare facility in Chilliwack — a brand new early learning centre on Vedder Road, built out to accommodate 98 children and 22 staff across a fully sprinklered, 7,800 square foot space.
It’s one of the more meaningful projects we take on. When the occupants of a building are children, the stakes are different. A fire safety plan isn’t just a compliance document — it’s the framework that tells staff exactly what to do, where to go, and who’s responsible when something goes wrong. Getting it right matters.
Why Daycares Need a Fire Safety Plan
Under the BC Fire Code, any building classified as a Group A occupancy — which includes licensed child care facilities — is required to have an approved fire safety plan on file with the local fire department before the building can be occupied. For daycares, this requirement applies from day one.
The reason is straightforward: children can’t self-evacuate. Staff need a clear, practiced plan. The fire department needs accurate drawings of the building before they ever respond to an emergency there. And licensing bodies like Fraser Health require evidence of fire safety compliance as part of the facility approval process.
For the Chilliwack project, the plan had to be reviewed and approved by Chilliwack Fire Department — a requirement we built into the process from the start. The plan was completed, submitted, and approved before the facility opened its doors.
What a Daycare Fire Safety Plan Covers
A compliant fire safety plan for a child care facility goes well beyond floor plans with fire exit arrows. It includes:
- CAD-drawn site plan and floor plans showing all fire exits, extinguisher locations, pull stations, fire alarm control panel, sprinkler shut-off, and assembly area
- Designation of a Fire Safety Director and Deputy — the staff members responsible for executing the plan during an emergency
- Written emergency procedures tailored to a child care setting (including non-ambulatory occupants)
- Fire drill schedule and training requirements for all staff
- Maintenance schedules for all fire protection systems
- Contact details for fire alarm, sprinkler, and extinguisher service companies
For a fully sprinklered building with 4 exits and 120 total occupants, every one of those elements needs to be accurate and current. We handle the full package — site visit, drawings, written plan, binder, wall plaques, and fire department submission.
Opening a Daycare in BC? The Fire Safety Plan Can’t Wait
We’ve done fire safety plans for child care facilities across Chilliwack, Surrey, Vancouver, and the broader Lower Mainland. Whether you’re a contractor completing a new build or an operator getting ready to open, the fire department review takes time — and it’s one of the last boxes to check before you get your occupancy permit.
Start the process early. We can schedule the site visit, complete the drawings, and get the plan to the fire department for review before your opening date. We guarantee approval or we’ll fix it until it passes.
Get in touch to get a quote for your facility. We work across BC.