The province is partnering with the federal government to implement a $10 per day child care system.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, BC Premier John Horgan announced that the Government of Canada will invest $3.2 billion dollars over the next five years to make child care more accessible, affordable and inclusive.
“Too many parents across the country are struggling to find affordable, high-quality child care,” said Trudeau.
“This agreement with British Columbia is a big step forward in establishing Canada-wide child care that will make life more affordable for families, get women back into the workforce, and drive economic growth, while giving every child in Canada, no matter where they live, the chance to achieve their potential.”
Under the agreement, the two levels of government will work towards achieving an average parent fee of $10 per day for all regulated child care spaces for children under six.
“For years, many parents in BC struggled to find child care. When they could find it, costs were sometimes too much to bear. The progress we’ve already made to fund new spaces and save families money has been life-changing,” said Horgan.
“We know what it takes to build a more accessible and affordable child care system in British Columbia because it’s happening right now.
The B.C. government says by the end of 2022, parents will see a 50 per cent decrease in average parent fees.
“The Province of B.C.’s historic investments in child care have helped us build a strong foundation for an inclusive, universal child care system and positioned us as a leader for child care in Canada,” said Katrina Chen, British Columbia’s Minister of State for Child Care,
“We’re proud to lead the way with the Government of Canada to deliver on our shared vision of creating the affordable, quality and inclusive child care system that B.C. families need.”
The Government of Canada said they are continuing to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners across the country to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care system
According to the province, 30,000 new regulated early learning and child care spaces for children under the age of six will be created over the next five years.
The province said for every dollar invested in early childhood education, the broader economy receives between $1.50 and $2.80 in return.