Summary

• A public survey launched on Thursday, May 28, 2026, will run until Thursday, July 9, 2026
• Early childhood educators and child care operators attended a virtual town hall on Wednesday, May 20, 2026

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The Province is asking families for input about the future of child care in B.C. using a new online, provincewide survey.

Hearing directly from parents, educators, and operators

Since the launch of ChildCareBC in 2018, space-creation programs have delivered substantially lower fees, more spaces and a bigger workforce in the child care sector. With the newest social program in B.C. in a generation, the Province is continuing to build on this progress and is seeking input to guide the future of child care in B.C.

Budget 2026 provided a $330-million lift to ChildCareBC to stabilize the programs and services that families rely on. Government is now asking for public input to assess child care in B.C., how it is progressing and working for families, and to determine priorities.

The provincial government has launched a survey to hear directly from families, early childhood educators and child care operators about their experiences. The survey is online: https://gov.bc.ca/childcaresurvey

Currently in English only, the survey will be available in French, Punjabi, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese in the coming days.

Ensuring the sector is part of the conversation

The Province has been engaging extensively with child care partners following the announcement of new funding for child care in Budget 2026. On May 20, 2026, early childhood educators and providers were invited to take part in a virtual town hall with the Ministry of Education and Child Care. More than 300 people attended to provide feedback and ask questions about the future of child care with Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, and ministry staff.

Quick Facts:

• Average families are saving $7,200 per year, per child, with reduced fees at more than 97% of licensed child care spaces.
• Nearly 59,000 new child care spaces have opened since ChildCareBC was launched.
• Approximately 12,000 funded spaces are being developed in communities throughout B.C.

Learn More:

• For more information about the engagement, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/childcaresurvey 
• For more information about ChildCareBC, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/childcare
• For more information about new child care spaces being created throughout the province, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026ECC0018-000529
• For information about how to connect to services and help save money, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector