Children and Family Development
More parents in the Lower Mainland will see dramatic savings as 43 child care sites are welcomed into the $10 a Day child care program.
At these sites, families will pay no more than $200 per month per child for full-time enrolment during regular business hours.
“I know that having access to affordable child care makes a real difference for families,” said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston. “By creating $10 a Day child care spaces like the ones at Seasong Childcare Centre in my riding, we are continuing our commitment to supporting families, which strengthens our communities.”
In Budget 2021, the Province committed to expanding the number of $10 a Day spaces in B.C. by converting 3,750 licensed child care spaces into low-cost spaces for families. The 1,818 new $10 a Day spaces in the Lower Mainland are part of this commitment.
“I know there couldn’t be a better time for families to hear that their child care centre is becoming a $10 a Day site,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “We’ve heard from families that having access to $10 a Day child care is life changing, and when our ChildCareBC plan is fully implemented, no family will pay more than $10 a day for licensed child care. As we work toward that goal, tens of thousands of parents are already benefiting by saving as much as $1,600 a month on child care. Through Budget 2022, more savings are on the way for all types of child care.”
This expansion increases the number of $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces available for families from 2,500 when the program began in 2018 to more than 6,500. By partnering with the Government of Canada through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces will more than double again to 12,500 by December 2022.
“When you do the right things for the right reasons, the whole community benefits,” said Jennifer Peltier, manager, Seaview Montessori. “Every family should have access to quality, affordable child care and I am thrilled that we are part of the plan that is aimed at making that happen.”
In addition to $10 a Day child care investments, Budget 2022 builds on existing provincial funding that helps tens of thousands of families continue paying less for child care, who are saving as much as $1,600 per month per child through provincial investments such as the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and the Affordable Child Care Benefit. Already 93% of eligible licensed child care providers have enrolled in the fee-reduction initiative, saving families as much as $350 per month per child.
“We are thrilled that Seaview Montessori has been accepted as one of the $10 a Day ChildCareBC centres,” said Catherine Macala, parent of a child at Seaview Montessori. “Participation in this program has truly been life changing for us and has greatly reduced our stress about how to afford child care. We are so grateful that the Province has adopted a program that allows all parents to fully participate in the workforce while also ensuring our children receive quality care.”
With new federal investments, the average rate of child care will be reduced by 50% from 2019 levels for children five and younger by the end of this year.
Quick Facts:
- Since 2018, the Lower Mainland has opened 72 $10 a Day ChildCareBC sites, offering a total of 2,834 spaces.
- Since 2018, the Province has invested more than $1 billion to provide affordable, quality and inclusive child care in the Lower Mainland, including more than $544 million in direct savings to parents.
- So far in 2021-22, fee reductions have been approved for more than 68,600 child care spaces at more than 3,600 child care facilities in B.C. through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.
- An average of 29,700 child care spaces receive support through the Affordable Child Care Benefit every month. Parents making less than $45,000 can receive 100% funding and those making as much as $111,000 can receive partial funding.
Learn More:
For more information on the $10 a Day ChildCareBC sites, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare10aDaysites
A backgrounder follows.
