Text of the press release:
With no prior warning, on September 15th, the provincial government, through the Ministry of Children and Family Development announced it would be immediately "redirecting" funding away from child care minor capital grants: grants that helped child care facilities across British Columbia pay for emergency repairs and equipment replacement.
When the Liberal government came into power ten years ago these grants were $5000 per year. If they had kept pace with inflation they would be over $6000 today. Instead the provincial Liberals reduced them to $2000, and now they are no longer available at all.
Small as they were, minor capital grants helped child care facilities meet basic health and safety standards as determined by provincial licensing officers. They helped with replacing an old washer and dryer or repairing playground equipment.
Without these grants these costs will have to be added to parent fees - fees that are already out of reach of most families. In 2010 the average Vancouver fee for a 2 year old was $1123 and for a 4 year old $782 per month. The provincial averages are not as high but still unaffordable for many families, if they can even access a space.
Child care is in crisis in BC but we have a solution ... the Plan for a Public System of Early Care and Learning as proposed by the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the Early Childhood Educators of BC. This Plan will reduce fees to $10 a day, free for families who earn less than $40,000 a year and will improve the education and earnings of Early Childhood Educators to an average of $25 per hour.