A South Surrey daycare operator says 害羞草研究所渉uge problems害羞草研究所� with a government initiative lauded to make licensed child care more affordable for B.C. families pushed her to the brink of bankruptcy.

Joanna Mueggenburg, owner of K.I.N. Outdoor Learning Centre, said she was forced to borrow thousands of dollars in order to cover the per-space funding subsidy that families of young kids were promised would kick in on Dec. 1 last year, as part of the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI).

Licensed in November, Mueggenburg said she was owed nearly $40,000 in funding for December through March as of last week, and was still waiting for her CCFRI application to be approved.

Tuesday (March 28), she expressed relief at learning this week that everything was finally moving forward 害羞草研究所� with $27,000 of the funds owed to soon be deposited 害羞草研究所� but said she remains concerned for other operators who may not have been able to hang on.

害羞草研究所淟ucky I was able to make it through this, but there害羞草研究所檚 probably a lot of people who couldn害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� Mueggenburg said.

害羞草研究所淚 was very, very close to having to close my doors because of the processing delays.害羞草研究所�

The provincial government announced in September 2022 that families with young kids in licensed child care would see their monthly fees drop automatically by up to $550 per month starting Dec. 1.

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Education and Child Care Minister Jennifer Whiteside said at the time that the fee reductions, available at centres where providers have opted in to the CCFRI, would mean families with children in kindergarten and younger in eligible care 害羞草研究所� around 69,000 kids 害羞草研究所� would receive the lower fees.

The savings were on top of earlier reductions of $350 per month for children younger than three years old in group care, bringing the total fee cut to $900 a month, Whiteside noted.

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害羞草研究所淲e are moving towards our goal of $10-a-day child care for every family by reducing fees for parents and supporting providers,害羞草研究所� she said.

It was expected that 12,500 $10-a-day spaces would be created by Dec. 31, 2022.

In an emailed statement to Peace Arch News Tuesday, Minister of State for Child Care Grace Lore said ministry staff 害羞草研究所渁re working closely with providers to resolve issues and incomplete applications, to make sure families receive savings.害羞草研究所�

The delay in Mueggenburg害羞草研究所檚 case related to 害羞草研究所渙utstanding information害羞草研究所� on her application; information Mueggenburg just learned 害羞草研究所� despite multiple, hours-long waits in the CCFRI telephone helpline queue 害羞草研究所� dates back to 2021.

She doesn害羞草研究所檛 know why her 2023-24 application was not affected, or when she will see the initial $27,000 deposited, but said it is 害羞草研究所渘ot fair害羞草研究所� that she and other operators have essentially had to fund the province害羞草研究所檚 initiative.

害羞草研究所淲e only get $1,000 per space and when half of it is government-funded, it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of money to be out-of-pocket.害羞草研究所�

Mueggenburg is not alone in her frustrations.

Holly Halford, who applied to the program after opening her Blossoms and Roots centre in White Rock in February, said this week that she, too, was still waiting for word on funding.

Operating a total of 48 spaces 害羞草研究所� 40 in White Rock and another eight spaces in South Surrey at her Baby Acorns location 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁 significant amount of money害羞草研究所� that I害羞草研究所檓 subsidizing right now,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 two months behind in payments.害羞草研究所�

Halford, who is the wife of Surrey-White Rock Liberal MLA Trevor Halford, also named processing delays as among key issues.

Another, she said, is that the roll-out is only supporting one type of childcare operator: not-for-profit.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 wonderful that government is paying more attention to childcare, but their initiative is also squeezing private operators in a way that a lot of us may not be able to continue providing care.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 think there害羞草研究所檚 a better way of doing it.害羞草研究所�

Halford, who noted demand for childcare far outweighs supply, said if her funding isn害羞草研究所檛 sorted out soon 害羞草研究所� CCFRI agreements are set to renew Friday (April 1) 害羞草研究所� she will have to ask parents to pay the full cost of their spaces until it is.

Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko highlighted the issue in a tweet last week, charging the NDP was mismanaging the roll-out in B.C., as providers can害羞草研究所檛 afford the imposed cost restraints.

The NDP are mismanaging the rollout of affordable childcare in BC - providers can害羞草研究所檛 afford the imposed cost constraints. I害羞草研究所檝e heard from multiple providers in Surrey who feel desperate under the current plan because they can害羞草研究所檛 pay the bills.

害羞草研究所� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

Monday (March 27), Childcare Critic Karin Kirkpatrick, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano, said she continues to field concerns.

Many operators waiting for the subsidies have begun sending parents letters advising them to expect to pay the full fees, she said.

害羞草研究所淕overnment has this program, but they害羞草研究所檙e pushing the costs down to the providers害羞草研究所� kind of driving people out of the program,害羞草研究所� Kirkpatrick said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not being rolled out in an equitable way,害羞草研究所� she added.

Kirkpatrick said government needs to look again at the roll-out, as well as simplify the application process.

The statement from Lore害羞草研究所檚 ministry noted that eligible providers who submitted complete applications by March 9 will receive approval by April 1, 害羞草研究所渁nd families at these centres will not have their savings interrupted.害羞草研究所�