BY AMAN SINGH
NDP MLA for Richmond-Queensborough
RISING global inflation is making life more expensive, and with one of the biggest bills facing families being childcare, we know that people need a break. That is why we’ve been working to reduce childcare fees for families across the province.
Recently, we announced that we’re cutting childcare fees again. Families across the province will save as much as $550 more every month per child. Bills will be automatically adjusted – there is no need for parents to apply, and there are no income requirements.
Starting in December, parents of children kindergarten-age and younger who attend participating licensed childcare programs will see a reduction on their bill. The exact reduction will depend on the type of program and the age of the child, and ranges from $220-$550 in savings on each month’s fees.
While cutting childcare fees is an important step, we know that many families are still having trouble accessing care for their children. Since 2018, we have opened 10,000 new spaces for children, and over 20,000 are currently in progress, with no plans to slow down. In fact, through provincial and federal support, we will see approximately 60,000 new spaces funded by 2026.
In the past, fees have shut many families out and a lack of supply has made it nearly impossible for new families to get a space. The days of neglecting childcare are over – our vision is a province where child care is 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 to $200 a month, saving families an average of $800 a month per child. Most recently in Richmond, we announced eight new $10-a-Day spaces at Kiddo House Child Care Centre. By the end of this year, there will be about 12,500 of these spaces throughout the province, and we are working to bring them to even more communities.
Recognizing that we also need more childcare professionals to deliver more high-quality licensed care, we have expanded the number of training seats and bursaries for Early Childhood Education students and increased the wages of Early Childhood Educators by $4 per hour.
Families should know that our New Democrat Government has their backs as we deliver child care that is both affordable and accessible.
