Excerpts from the press release:
Thousands of B.C. families &em; including lower- and middle-income earners &em; will be eligible for help with meeting their child care costs for the first time, while others will receive significantly higher subsidies, beginning Oct. 1. In addition, child care providers will receive new funding toward operating costs, facilities and equipment.
Stan Hagen, Minister of Children and Family Development, announced these new investments, which will flow from the early learning and child care agreement B.C. will sign with the federal government this fall.
"Access to quality, stimulating and caring child care and preschool can bring lifelong benefits for children," said Hagen. "Today, we can sustainably and dramatically increase our support for families and high-quality child care spaces, to create more dynamic environments and open them to more kids."
Effective Oct. 1, subsidies will rise for children under six in regulated care. Depending on their individual circumstances, families with up to $38,000 in income may receive full subsidy &em; up dramatically from a threshold of $21,000 &em; and now those with even higher incomes may be eligible for partial subsidy. In all, 10,000 more children will be eligible to benefit, while an additional 6,000 will see a substantial rise in their existing subsidy.
Many families will see thousands of dollars more in help with their child care costs. For example, a working single parent with a gross annual income of $38,000 and two children, aged two and five, in licensed group care will see their annual subsidy more than double to $14,220 from $6,738 &em; an annual increase of $7,482 per year.
For licensed child care providers, operating funding that promotes a steady supply of affordable spaces will see a 36.6 per cent or $7-million rate increase effective Oct. 1. Child care providers decide how best to use this funding in meeting the day-to-day costs of providing care, and may choose to use the additional funds to help them recruit and retain staff. More capital funding will also be available to help providers maintain and upgrade facilities and create more spaces where they're needed.
Click here for more info on subsidy changes
Click here for more info on the Child Care Operating Funding Program and Capital Funding Program