The province will double the number of $10-a-day child care spaces available to families in B.C. as part of its 2021 budget rolled out Tuesday (April 20).
The child care funding released in this budget totals $223 million over three years. Of that money, $111 million will be used to fund 3,750 new $10-a-day spaces, across 75 additional ChildCareBC universal prototype sites over the next three years.
Viveca Ellis, provincial organizer at the Single Mothers害羞草研究所� Alliance for Gender & Economic Justice, said the province missed out on an opportunity to commit to a 害羞草研究所渢ruly universal害羞草研究所� child care system.
害羞草研究所淎t this time, the province is opting to continue with the subsidy application model, which is cumbersome and ineffective,害羞草研究所� Ellis said, particularly for single mothers who may struggle to find time to navigate the government害羞草研究所檚 systems.
That issue hits some groups more than others, she added.
害羞草研究所淭he lone mother led families that are in some of the toughest situations and the most severe poverty do tend to be predominantly racialized and Indigenous lone mothers 害羞草研究所� and we do hear from these members that they find this system challenging to navigate and confusing.害羞草研究所�
Even when women can navigate the system of subsidies, Ellis said that just finding spots for their children proves to be another challenge.
害羞草研究所淲e need many more spots than just the couple of thousands that are being added at this time,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e needed at least triple the amount of $10 a day subsidized spaces that this budget is allowing.害羞草研究所�
Generation Squeeze founder Paul Kershaw said that the lack of across the board $10-a-day child care is a compromise that will only increase the 害羞草研究所済enerational squeeze害羞草研究所� being felt by many young families.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 fair to say this provincial budget does not deliver on promises to child care,害羞草研究所� he told reporters, adding that the province needs to play an active role in bringing down the costs for young families.
害羞草研究所淚t is not enough for the province to simply bank on the big child care announcement made in the federal budget,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淥ttawa still requires an active provincial partner to bring about the $10-a-day child care vision. BC Budget 2021 reveals that our government does not plan to be as active as it promised during the last election. That害羞草研究所檚 a shame.害羞草研究所�
However, Ellis said the additional $4-per-hour for early childcare educators is a 害羞草研究所渧ery welcome and necessary害羞草研究所� move. The increase moves up early childhood educator salaries to as much as $23-an-hour and will cost the B.C. government $94 million.
害羞草研究所淚t is a predominantly female dominated sector and for far, far too long, the wages have been far too low,害羞草研究所� Ellis said, adding that she hopes to see 害羞草研究所渟ignificant害羞草研究所� future raises scheduled for upcoming years.
In a statement, Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU which represents many child care workers across B.C., also lauded the news.
The province害羞草研究所檚 child care funding will also expand the Seamless Day Pilot to 20 additional school districts, up from the current four. The program, Finance Minister Selina Robinson said, will be a 害羞草研究所渓ife changer害羞草研究所� for families with multiple children by allowing them to drop off both school and pre-school aged kids at the same facility.
Additional child care funding in the 2021 budget includes $20 million in health and safety grants for child care providers, 110 new post-secondary seats for early childhood educators, and $20 million over three years to add 400 spaces to Aboriginal Head Start program.
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