Joint venture by women-led businesses aims to rapidly expand access to quality child care and learning environments, addressing critical shortages.
B.C.-based NUQO Modular (NUQO) and Natural Pod are pleased to announce that they are joining forces to accelerate and elevate educational infrastructure in British Columbia’s underserved communities and beyond.
The companies, both certified B Corps, will leverage their combined strengths to create sustainable child care and learning environments that enhance children’s social, cognitive, and emotional development, while providing cost predictability for clients and building operators. The alliance will combine NUQO’s proficiency in constructing high-quality, culturally grounded modular spaces with Natural Pod’s expertise in providing non-toxic, sustainable , and durable school furniture.
“Our partnership with Natural Pod amplifies our commitment to empowering communities,” says Rory Richards, founder and CEO of NUQO. “Together, we look forward to delivering quality, community-focused spaces where children feel safe and supported.”
This collaboration arrives as communities, particularly those that are Indigenous and marginalized, face challenges including child care shortages and limited classroom space. In 2023, 58.8% of families using child care in B.C. reported difficulty finding spaces, up from 46.5% in 2019. The federal government is working towards cutting child care fees to an average of $10 per day by 2025-26.
On March 29, 2024 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new Child Care Expansion Loan Program, featuring $1 billion in low-cost loans and $60 million in non-repayable grants and student loan forgiveness for childhood educators. This injection aims to bolster the federal goal of creating 250,000 new child care spaces by March 2026, and this partnership will support the rapid response in rural and underserved areas that require special focus.
For communities and educators looking to access funding through programs such as the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, NUQO will support the process: from funding application, through design-assist, to construction management, and finally, building completion and fit-out. Natural Pod will collaborate with NUQO to furnish the interiors, delivering impactful spaces with greater efficiency, certainty, and speed.
“By simplifying the application process, providing pre-selected furniture, and leveraging the swift nature of modular construction, we will support applicants in moving from concept to completion much quicker,” says Richards.
Together, the two companies will design and deliver valuable and inclusive spaces where children can thrive and are encouraged to learn, move, and collaborate.
“We see this partnership with NUQO as a powerful statement within their spaces that every child belongs,” says Bridgitte Alomes, founder of Natural Pod.
This partnership will also embody a shared dedication to community support. The companies plan to donate a portion of profits to charitable causes in B.C., details of which will be announced soon.
About NUQO Modular:
Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, NUQO Modular is a female-led, proudly Indigenous construction company recognized for its sustainable and culturally grounded approach to modular building. Committed to community empowerment, NUQO partners with top architects and partners to deliver high-quality, environmentally responsible, and culturally significant child care and other building solutions.
For more information visit nuqo.ca, or connect with NUQO on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.
About Natural Pod:
Natural Pod builds and designs sustainable, durable, beautiful education furniture. Their products and spaces beautifully blend functionality with boundless potential fostering collaboration, small-group dynamics, and individualized learning experiences within all educational settings.
Explore our buying guide for learning space furniture procurement, designed to empower educators and school leaders in making informed decisions about transforming their learning environments.