More families in Shuswap will save thousands of dollars per year as 36 local child care spaces convert to the $10-a-day program, helping familes get ahead and building high-quality, affordable and accessible child care as a core service in B.C.

“We doubled the number of $10-a-day spaces earlier this year and will be nearly doubling yet again by the end of 2022,” said Katrina Chen, B.C. Minister of State for Child Care. “Affordable child care can be life changing, and we’re one step closer to making that a reality for all families in B.C. The $10-a-day program and the significant fee reductions recently announced are both part of our plan to make child care a core service that every family can access and afford.”

Spaces in the $10-a-Day ChildCareBC program reduce the average cost of child care from $1,000 a month at participating facilities (for full-time, centre-based infant care) to $200 a month, saving families an average of $800 per month per child.

“Our governments are making affordable, high-quality, flexible and inclusive child care a reality,” said Karina Gould, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. “Through our transformative investments, we remain focused on making life more affordable for families and giving every child the best possible start in life.”

The $10-a-day program expansion represents further progress in partnership with the federal government under the Canada-B.C. Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. To support the goal of ensuring access to high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care, the Government of Canada is contributing $3.2 billion for child care in B.C. over five years through the agreement.

“I am ecstatic to communicate with our families that we were successful in our application to become a $10-a-day child care facility,” said Karen Bubola, manager, Shuswap Day Care Centre. “I have been in the field for over 30 years and have advocated for financial support for families seeking child care and for the Early Childhood Educators to make a fair wage for the valuable and important work we do. The $10-a-day financial support from the government will be able to assist our society in addressing both of these concerns. We are so excited to join the many other $10-a-day facilities in B.C.”

The newly approved $10-a-day spaces at Shuswap Day Care Centre in Shuswap include 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, and 24 spaces for children two and a half years old to kindergarten age.

“The $10-a-day care for my child is extremely impactful for my family,” said Rhiianna Elliot, parent of one child at Shuswap Day Care Centre. “It’s extra trips to the grocery store and comfort in ensuring our housing and utilities are covered, while also leaving wiggle room to do extra activities as a family! With inflation and everything working against us right now, it’s an absolute blessing to have something come back in such a way that helps us financially, but, even more, ensures my babies have the best care and learning opportunities that Shuswap Day Care Centre provides. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

More $10-a-day spaces will be created over the next few months. By the end of the year, the program will expand the number of $10-a-Day ChildCareBC spaces available for families in B.C. from 6,500 in April 2022 to approximately 12,500.

“Words cannot express the excitement we are all feeling toward the $10-a-day child care," said Kelsey Fenske, president, Shuswap Day Care Society Board. "When the board heard we got accepted, we couldn't believe it at first. It was too good to be true. We have had lots of positive remarks. This was a unanimous decision with the board and management to apply for the $10-a-day program. This will be one of the best decisions the board has ever made, and, for that, families will be forever grateful.”

In addition to these spaces, the Province, with federal funding support, is helping parents with the cost of child care at centres that are not part of the $10-a-day program through child care fee reductions of up to $550 more per month per child. These savings are in addition to the $350 per month per child that families have been saving through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative since 2018, and approximately 69,000 families will benefit.

Since 2018, the Province has invested $2.7 billion in the 10-year ChildCareBC plan to build a future where affordable, inclusive and quality child care is a core service that families can rely on.

Quick Facts:

• All types of licensed child care providers offering services to children five and younger were eligible to apply for $10-a-day program, with priority given to larger non-profit, publicly delivered and Indigenous-led providers in communities that do not currently have a $10-a-day site, and also based on population density, which aligns with commitments in the Canada-B.C. Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
• The cut-off date for $10-a-day program applications was Aug. 18, 2022, and more applications will be reviewed until the December 2022 target is met.
• Families making as much as $111,000 may be eligible to receive additional child care support through the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB), with those making less than $45,000 receiving the maximum ACCB funding amount and paying nothing for child care.
• An average of 30,500 children received support through the Province’s Affordable Child Care Benefit each month in 2021-22.
• As of Dec. 1, 2022, fee reductions through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative will increase from up to $350 per child per month to as much as $900 per child per month, for a total of up to $10,800 per year in savings.

Learn More:

For more information about existing $10-a-Day ChildCareBC sites and spaces, criteria, guidelines and priority areas under this intake, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare10aDaysites

For more information about ChildCareBC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare

For more about the 2021-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/british-columbia-canada-wide-2021.html

For more information about Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care: https://canada.ca/child-care