Province-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.  

$10aDay Researcher Lynell Anderson highlights that “a majority of British Columbians (72%) agree that a properly developed provincial child care program pays for itself – every dollar invested in child care would see a return to the province.”

In addition, more than 80% of respondents agree that:

• employers benefit from investments in child care
• quality child care benefits young children
• investing in child care is beneficial to the economy
• more child care spaces result in more parents working and more tax revenue for the province.
• the BC government should continue to invest in building a child care system that is affordable for parents.