We extend our support and concern for families on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia who have just discovered they are losing their infant-toddler child care spaces in October.
The closure of child care programs in Gibsons and Sechelt reflects the ongoing, well-known challenge of recruiting and retaining certified early childhood educators (ECEs) in BC. These abrupt program closures are indicative of the provincial government’s failure to deliver on multiple election commitments and on its signed agreement with the federal government. The BC government’s commitment to building a universal $10aDay system explicitly includes compensating valued ECE professionals appropriately by developing an ECE wage grid - we recommend a starting wage of at least $30-$40/hour depending on qualifications and experience.
However, the BC government has allowed the provincial median wage for ECEs to stagnate at just $29/hour. The result, especially in communities with a housing crisis, is child care programs with reduced hours of operation or complete closure.
Child care is the backbone of communities, creating economic stimulus when parents are able to work, supporting gender equity and advancing children’s healthy development.
We expect Premier Eby to take immediate action on our 4 key recommendations:
- Expand $10aDay to all licensed programs with a quality funding formula
- Ensure school‑age care exists in every elementary school to meet demand
- Implement a fair wage grid for educators of at least $30-$40/hour plus benefits
- Develop a province-wide expansion plan to build new programs
We will continue advocating until all BC families have access to the quality affordable child care programs that they need, and all early childhood educators are valued and fairly compensated.
Thank you for speaking up about the child care crisis on the Sunshine Coast – your voice matters now more than ever.
In solidarity,
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC
Child Care Now
Download the Statement of Support here...
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