$10aDay campaign shows a way to bring change — but the battle isn’t over.

By Sharon Gregson 3 Jan 2018 | TheTyee.ca

‘The $10aDay campaign didn’t rely on massive funding. Success came because the child-care crisis across BC is so bad that people know there had to be a better way.’

As 2018 starts and families with young children scramble in the midst of B.C.’s child-care chaos, we’re waiting with hope that Finance Minister Carole James will announce at least $225 million in new spending to improve child care in her February budget.

Make no mistake. If, as expected, significant progress on child care comes in the budget, it will show the success of the $10aDay campaign for a popular, well-researched, realistic solution to the worsening child-care crisis in our province.

The $10aDay campaign is a classic example of how a small group of women, in this case from the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the Early Childhood Educators of BC, can come together with an idea based on expertise, evidence, lived experience and commitment and, with many allies, make that idea a viable, concrete solution to a current public policy disaster.

$10aDay Supporter Kelly Sidhu interviewed women in her local neighbourhood about their child care situation. Check it out:

If you haven't already, please take 2 minutes to take action and help make sure Child Care is a top priority in the BC 2018 Budget: www.10aday.ca/budget2018

Click here to send a letter to your local MLA and other key players in government, and let them know you expect action on child care to be a major part of BC's 2018 Budget.

In BC’s 2017 provincial election, a majority voted for action on child care. Both the BC NDP and BC Greens made substantial child care commitments. Both parties made child care the largest area of new spending in their platforms. In its subsequent Throne Speech, the BC Liberals also made a commitment to significant new child care investment.

With all three major political parties now publicly committed to new child care funding, British Columbia’s families with young children can finally look forward to meaningful progress on solving the current child care chaos.

The $10aDay Plan is the comprehensive, evidence-based solution to this chaos.

The Plan is grounded in public policy and funding proposals that address the affordability issue for all families with (or hoping to have) young children, and is central to an effective poverty reduction plan. British Columbians are calling on government to implement it.

The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and Early Childhood Educators of BC propose concrete, balanced actions that allow government to begin fulfilling their child care commitment in Budget 2018.

These actions support existing BC child care services to participate in building the effective system that BC parents, grandparents, and employers have been waiting for.

Implementing these first steps require the BC government to confirm the multi-lateral and bi-lateral child care agreements with the federal government, and to conclude child care discussions with the BC Green Caucus. These first steps to reduce today’s child care chaos in BC are consistent with the election platforms of both the BC NDP and BC Greens.

That is why the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the Early Childhood Educators of BC recommend the following ‘first steps’ for BC’s Budget 2018.

Criteria for Assessing Government’s Progress

On the Implementation of the $10aDay Child Care Plan

Effective implementation actions and ongoing assessments of government’s progress should be consistent with key elements of the Community Plan for a Public System of Integrated Early Care and Learning – commonly known as the $10aDay Plan. Three key elements are particularly important in the early stages of system-building:

1. Evidence based policy and funding decisions
2. Integrated approaches
3. Balanced roll–out

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has invited British Columbians to provide input that will help shape next year’s provincial budget. British Columbians have until October 16th to participate, and it’s so easy to do with their online survey. 

To take part simply click here, and then choose the Complete a Survey option.

The early days of a new government are always tough. There are many choices at hand, decisions to be made and voters to please. In the case of B.C., the agreement between the province’s NDP and the Green party adds a layer of intricacy that has not been present in decades.

Still, there is an issue that should not be allowed to fall through the cracks as a new premier and his government figure out the path of our province for the next four years: childcare.

During the provincial campaign, the NDP embraced the concept of $10-a-day — a comprehensive plan to provide a regulated childcare space to every British Columbian parent or family who requires it. This is a plan that was years in the making, and carefully studied the experience of other jurisdictions.

This approach is already working in other parts of the country on several levels. Quebec currently boasts the second-lowest child poverty rate in Canada, and the highest rate of employment among women over the age of 20 in the entire country. In Quebec, having the ability to access childcare at a reasonable cost — originally $7 a day, but since increased to up to $21.20 a day, depending on household income — has allowed women to either return to the workforce at a faster pace after maternity leave ends, or to seek job opportunities that would otherwise have been unavailable.

BC finally has a government that’s serious about solving the child care chaos. Here's Sheila's take on why it’s important that we continue to add our voices to the millions of other Canadians who know what needs to be done and how it can be accomplished.

We in BC continually hear that our economy is doing great. According to our [former] Premier, of all the provinces BC leads in employment, jobs and economic well-being.

If this is the case, why then have we not invested in the $10 a Day Child Care Plan?

With kids aged 11 & 13, Lori is almost out of the horror of dealing with child care. With implementation of the $10aDay Plan, new parents in BC today will face fewer challenges down the road. Here's Lori's story about coping with BC's child care chaos.

My children are now 11 and 13.  I am 'almost' out of the horror of dealing with childcare.