Monday September 9, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Starting October 1, 2024 applications will be accepted from child care providers to join the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, which will create more low-cost child care options for families throughout BC.
“We will be delivering even more $10-a-day spaces to B.C. families because we know what a difference these spaces make,” said Rachna Singh, B.C. Minister of Education and Child Care.
“By making child care more affordable, families are able to pursue more opportunities, which will benefit everyone. I want to thank the child care providers who are partnering with us to deliver these life-changing savings to families,” said Singh in a news release today.
Reducing the average cost of child care:
The $10-a-day program is helping B.C families by reducing the average cost of child care for full-time, centre-based care, from $1,120 a month to $200 a month. On average, families save approximately $920 a month per child with a $10-a-day space.
“We are excited to welcome more child care providers to join the amazing $10 a Day ChildCareBC program so more families across B.C. can benefit from it,” said Jenna Sudds, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
“By making $10-a-day child care a reality for more families, we’re helping parents save thousands of dollars each year, while ensuring children have the best possible start in life.”
Open to licenced child care providers:
All licensed child care providers are encouraged to apply for this program. Priority will be given to larger non-profit, publicly delivered and Indigenous-led providers, which primarily offer care to children five and younger, and in communities that have no spaces or a low number of $10-a-day spaces compared to their region’s population density.
Additionally, this year’s changes to acceptance criteria will help ensure families with low incomes have better access to $10-a-day spaces.
“YMCA BC is the largest provider of licensed child care in the province and knows first-hand how much families benefit from having access to quality, affordable child care services,” said Cathy Poole, vice-president, Children and Youth Services, YMCA BC.
“As a charity committed to igniting the potential in those we serve and support, the Y looks forward to continuing to work with all levels of government and the child care sector to provide families and children with happy and healthy child care experiences.”
Sites are not income-tested:
Sites offering the $10 a Day ChildCareBC are not income-tested and are open to any family, regardless of finances. The Province is also helping families with the cost of child care through other affordability programs, such as the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and the Affordable Child Care Benefit, which can be combined with the other affordability programs for families that need it most.
By partnering with the Government of Canada through the 2021-22 to 2025-26 Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CW-ELCC), this opening for applications will support the expansion of $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces from more than 15,000 to 20,000 by spring 2026. Priority for this application aligns with commitments in the CW-ELCC.
Details for applications:
Applications will be accepted from noon on October 1, 2024 until noon on October 31, 2024 (Pacific time).
In addition to the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, the Government of B.C. is reducing the cost of child care in other ways:
- Providers of more than 81,900 spaces for children five and younger, and approximately 48,400 licensed spaces for preschool and school-age children, are participating in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI), which saves families as much as $900 per month, per child.
- This is in addition to the Affordable Child Care Benefit, which supports an average of 28,200 families (representing 35,700 children) with as much as $1,250 per month, per child in further fee reductions.
- The Aboriginal Head Start Program provides culturally based early learning and child care for more than 1,750 children at no cost to their families, in partnership with the First Nations Health Authority and the Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC.
===== GOVERNMENT LINKS:
- Existing $10 a Day ChildCareBC sites and spaces, criteria, guidelines and priority areas under this intake:
www.gov.bc.ca/childcare10aDaysites - ChildCareBC: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare
- 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 - Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care:
https://canada.ca/child-care