The B.C. government is taking a giant leap towards the goal of hitting $10-per-day child care as promised in the last two provincial elections.
B.C. Child Care Minister of State Katrina Chen, B.C. Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside and Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould announced child-care funding to drive the average cost down for parents to around $21 per day.
Right now, the province’s aim is to double the number of $10-a-day spaces to more than 12,000 by December.
Despite the work to expand the number of $10-a-day spaces, they still only make up a fraction of spots.
This is on top of existing fee reductions and is only in place at participating licenced child-care facilities.
“Child care is one of the biggest bills many families face each month,” Chen said.
“Cutting child-care fees again, this time by as much as $550 a month more per child, is one way we are taking action to put money back in people’s pockets at a time when rising global inflation is making life more expensive.”
The provincial government says the fee reductions will be in place for providers, adding that 96 per cent of eligible child-care spaces are participating in cutting fees.
Parents of all incomes with children in kindergarten and younger at participating child care centres will see these savings on their bills in December with no need to apply.
The government estimates the fee reductions will reach families of about 69,000 children.
This will include a total of 12,500 $10-a-day childcare spots. These changes are on top of already existing child-care funding support.
The changes will reduce the average child care cost from $53 per day to $21 per day.
Funding is coming through a five-year, $3.2-billion Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
“The Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement that we signed just over a year ago puts families first, and will ensure every child has access to high-quality, affordable, accessible child care,” Gould said.
“With hundreds of dollars in savings, this investment will provide much-needed support to reduce the cost of living for families with young children. Our government remains focused on making life more affordable for families and giving every child the best possible start in life.”
Based on numbers provided by the province a family with a 10-month-old and a three-year-old in group care could save as much as $11,940 more per year, in addition to the $5,400 per year they are already saving.
A family with a two-year-old and four-year-old receiving family care would see up to $10,080 more in savings each year, in addition to the $3,120 per year they are already saving.
Back in 2021, the federal government pledged more than $3 billion to reduce the average cost of child care to $10 per day by 2026.
Right now, the province’s aim is to double the number of $10-a-day spaces to more than 12,000 by December.
Despite the work to expand the number of $10-a-day spaces, they still only make up a fraction of spots.
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