Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development, have issued the following statement in recognition of Community Social Services Awareness Month, March 1-31:

Young people in government care will have access to new and increased supports until the age of 27.

Budget 2022 is making life better for families through investments in child care that will improve access to child care, reduce costs for parents and build the spaces families need.

The Province is investing $20 million in one-time grants to help licensed child care providers meet the challenges of additional pandemic-related health and safety costs, while also supporting access to inclusive, quality and affordable child care.

The Province is distributing up to 250,000 rapid antigen tests to government-funded child care providers throughout British Columbia for use by child care professionals with COVID-19 symptoms.

Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care, has released the following statement on the new COVID-19 guidance for child care settings from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), which was recently provided to the sector:

More parents in northern B.C. are able to pursue work or education opportunities with the knowledge their kids are getting a great start in life, thanks to the 154 licensed child care spaces that have opened during the past months.

More parents in Vancouver, New Westminster and Richmond are able to pursue work or education opportunities, thanks to 107 new child care spaces and an additional 41 new spaces expected to open by the end of the year.

More parents in Langley and Maple Ridge will be able to pursue their work or education goals, thanks to 209 child care spaces opening in the coming months.