Zak Vescera / June 13, 2019
British Columbians support recent government investments in child care but are still in serious need of affordable public spaces, according to a new poll.
An online survey of 800 adults, including 400 parents, conducted by Research Co. indicates 76 per cent of British Columbians want the province to create more affordable child care spaces.
Read moreMario Canseco / June 13, 2019
After Quebec began the implementation of a nearly universal child care system in 1997, many other jurisdictions in Canada have attempted to emulate the policy. Proud Quebecers who have benefitted are quick to point out the success rate of mothers going back to work thanks to a system where parents pay less than $10 a day for child care.
During the 2017 British Columbia provincial electoral campaign, the BC New Democratic Party vowed to create a child care plan with more affordable parent fees, more spaces and better wages and education for those who work in child care settings.
Read moreCarolyn Grant / June 13th, 2019
Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok is on a whirlwind tour across the province with the Budget Consultation Committee. He was in Kimberley on Tuesday, June 11 with the committee, which is made up of MLAs of all parties, to hear from British Columbians on what they want to see funded in the upcoming provincial budget.
“We had a few billion in asks,” Clovechok said. “Some of the requests are very unique to a particular area, others we are hearing again and again.”
Global News / July 1, 2019
A Penticton, B.C., family says they may be forced to move back to Ontario due to the lack of affordable, quality child care options in the South Okanagan.
Kelly Catherwood said she moved to the Okanagan with her husband four years ago. They do not have family in the area so they need consistent, reliable care that a centre provides.
“Pretty much immediately when I became pregnant I started narrowing down all of the facilities that were licensed and group-based,” she told Global News on Monday.
Read moreThe Canadian Press / July 5, 2019
VANCOUVER - Stressed-out Vancouver parents will get some relief knowing 2,300 child care spots will be available in about three years but the city currently has a shortfall of 17,000 spaces, the mayor says.
The British Columbia government is providing $33 million in funding for the licensed spots, which will include a mix of spaces for children under age five, as well as spots for school-age kids.
Read moreThe Canadian Press / Jul. 4, 2019
The governments of B.C. and Vancouver have teamed up to provide 2,300 child care spots in the city, but they won’t be available for three years and the mayor says there’s still a shortfall of 17,000 spaces.
Premier John Horgan says the province is working to fulfil an election promise of providing $10-a-day care that is being tested at 53 facilities across B.C.
Read moreSubmission to Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
$10aDay Child Care Recommendations for BC Budget 2020
The BC government has taken bold initial steps towards its commitment to universal child care by reducing parent fees, raising educator wages and education, affirming its support for Indigenous-led child care and introducing $10aDay Prototype Sites across the province. These steps are broadly supported by the 90% of British Columbians – across all ages, regions and political allegiances – who believe that public investments in a quality, affordable child care system are important. And, almost two-thirds of parents with child care experience say current government investments are having a positive impact on their child care situation.
British Columbians also know that there is much more to do. Child care still puts a financial strain on 76% of families and 70% say a parent had to remain away from work longer after parental leave because child care was unavailable.
There are still only enough licensed spaces for about 20% of young children in BC, so Budget 2020 must include an updated three-year plan with funding to make quality, affordable child care available to many more families, promptly and effectively, as proposed in the $10aDay Plan. In summary, starting in 2020/21, government should:
Our Budget 2020 recommendations, outlined in more detail below, may be familiar to you as they are similar to our Budget 2019 recommendations, not yet implemented. Implementation in Budget 2020 is now even more urgent, and consistent with the perspectives of more than three-quarters of British Columbians who believe government should move more quickly to achieve the goals of the $10aDay Child Care Plan.
Read moreClick here to view a PDF version of this post.
The BC government has taken bold initial steps towards its commitment to universal child care by reducing parent fees, raising educator wages and education, affirming its support for Indigenous-led child care and introducing $10aDay Prototype Sites across the province. These steps are broadly supported by the 90% of British Columbians – across all ages, regions and political allegiances2 – who believe that public investments in a quality, affordable child care system are important. And, almost two-thirds of parents with child care experience say current government investments are having a positive impact on their child care situation.
British Columbians also know that there is much more to do. Child care still puts a financial strain on 76% of families and 70% say a parent had to remain away from work longer after parental leave because child care was unavailable.
Read moreProvince-wide poll finds strong support for new government investments in child care with much more required to deliver the popular $10aDay Plan.
Almost two-thirds of parents who have a child enrolled in child care say current government investments are having a positive impact on their child care situation – but 76% of parents still say child care is putting a financial strain on their family and 70% say a parent had to remain away from work after parental leave because child care was unavailable.
These are the findings from a new poll by Research Co. commissioned by the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC, who lead the $10aDay Campaign.
Since 2011, the $10aDay Child Care Campaign has broadly shared research and evidence – including the lived experience of BC families - about the value of a publicly- funded, quality, affordable child care system. The vast majority of British Columbians agree; 90% believe that provincial government investments to build a quality affordable child care system available to families across BC are important.
“BC needs $10aDay Child Care in every community, just like schools,” says Sharon Gregson, $10aDay spokesperson. And, British Columbians agree; 79% say that child care should be publicly available like elementary schools, 78% support the idea of child care programs in schools, hospitals, libraries and community centres and more than seven-in-ten (74%), believe that every elementary school should have child care on-site.
Read moreSooke News Mirror / Editorial May 8, 2019
Make no mistake about it, after 16 years of neglect under B.C’s Liberal government, the child care landscape in B.C. has begun to claw it’s way back to a level that might give parents a cause for hope.
But there’s a long way to go.
Every daycare currently operating in Sooke has a waiting list and that situation is far from unique.
It’s estimated that in B.C. only one in five children currently have access to a licensed daycare spot.
It’s a shameful situation that has forced some parents to leave the workforce and has caused others to work graveyard shifts so that, bleary-eyed, they can care for their children during the day.
Others have reacted to the massive shortfall in regulated child care by opting for “license-not-required spaces” in which care for pre-school children is provided in private homes where the service is not regulated beyond restrictions on the number of wee ones taken into care. There are no qualifications required for the caregivers and virtually no regulations on the physical space, equipment or activities provided.
And, in both licensed and unlicensed care options, the fees paid by parents can be crippling, representing the second largest family expenditure in B.C., right behind housing.
That’s why when the NDP was elected after campaigning on a promise of $10-a-day daycare and additional supports to create more daycare spaces, many saw it as the answer to their prayers.
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