The federal and provincial governments have combined to find $10 per day day care in B.C. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

CHILDCARE SUPPORT

Federal, provincial governments fund $10 per day daycare in B.C.

Jul 8, 2021 | 11:25 AM

COQUITLAM — Parents in dire need for daycare spaces are set to receive some much needed support.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a minimum of $9.2 billion in annual funding across the country, including $3.2 billion over the next five years in British Columbia.

“If you’re a parent, this landmark agreement led by the Government of British Columbia and the federal government means help is on the way. We’re making life easier and more affordable and we’re making sure kids get the best possible start in life.”

The agreement will see 30,000 new child care spaces created in British Columbia, with average child care fees cut in half by the end of 2022.

All regulated spaces would also be priced at an average of $10 per day for children under six, with over 12,000 such spaces being available.

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“Our Canada-wide child care plan will help thousands of people, including women, be able to choose both a family and a career,” Trudeau said. “Our plan also builds on the success of the Canada child benefit which is increasing again this year and has already lifted hundreds of thousands of children right across the country out of poverty.”

$10 per day child care is a longstanding promise of the provincial NDP which John Horgan campaigned on in 2017.

Premier Horgan said the province was unable to get to where it needed to go without the “full participation” of the federal government.

“The child care workforce was the work force behind the workforce. One of the first things we discovered as COVID-19 took hold in Canada was if we didn’t have child care spaces open and available, our communities would not function.”

He added the new, affordable spaces would help alleviate stress among families who had created a patchwork of different child care places for their kids to go every day.

“These questions were coming up every day, every week, every month for years as young families tried to get a way forward to make sure their children were cared for, they were getting the early education they need to be prepared for K-12 and the challenges of a competitive world.”

Over 400 new spaces were announced for both Nanaimo and Parksville by the provincial government in May.

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