As Ten Dollar Daycare program expands, Prince Rupert awaits word of plans for local program

Katrina Chen, The BC
Minister of State for Child Care
announced an expansion on
Ten Dolla Daycare on Tuesday
(photo from BC Gov't)

The British Columbia Government shared some positive news for parents in many areas of British Columbia this week, outlining the growing expansion for their Ten Dollar Day Care program, an initiative that looks to deliver on combined funding from both the province and Federal government.

Katrina Chen B.C.'s Minister of State for Child Care noted of the pace of the expansion plan on Tuesday:

“We doubled the number of $10-a-day spaces earlier this year and will be nearly doubling yet again by the end of 2022, with 1,373 spaces added this month alone. Affordable child care can be life changing, and we’re one step closer to making that a reality for all families in B.C.”

While over on the Federal Side of the funding supply, Karina Gould, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development was speaking to the ongoing investment into the project.

“Our governments are making affordable, high-quality, flexible and inclusive child care a reality. Through our transformative investments, we remain focused on making life more affordable for families and giving every child the best possible start in life.”

The Tuesday information release providing a look at how fast the program is accelerating as both levels of government look to put in place the Ten Dollar A Day program.

The province anticipates that more $10-a-day spaces will be created over the next few months. 

By the end of the year, the program will expand the number of $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces available for families in B.C. from 6,500 in April to approximately 12,500.

And yet, for all that progress, a look at the Ten Dollar Day Care Map shows one community standing on the outside of the circle for that Day Care initiative and that's Prince Rupert.

The most recent listings from the BC Governement showing that the program is now in place in Terrace, Kitimat and Smithers and a number of other communities ... 

The issue of Day Care has been a much discussed one of late in the Prince Rupert area, and despite what seems like much in the way of study and preparation to try to resolve the issue, there still seems to be  progress at a snails pace.

The lack of options for child care remains as one of the key reasons given for challenges in recruiting residents to the community to fill the growing list of employment calls that seemingly remain vacant.

To find out why Prince Rupert remains devoid of Ten Dollar Day Care, we contacted North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice for some background on the program as it continues to roll out and how the Government assesses those applications.

Ms. Rice's notes to the topic included the following:

Since April 2018, as a result of ChildCareBC programs such as the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, the Affordable Child Care Benefit, and the $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres, thousands of children and their families have benefited from lower child care fees and others have child care for no more than $10 per day. 

 

Applying to be part of the $10 a Day program is up to individual operators who feel it is the best funding opportunity for their program and the families they serve. · 

Each time there is a call for applications, we weigh applications according to the priority criteria. One of the priorities for the current intake was for applicants located in communities currently without $10 a Day child care or with a low proportion of $10 a Day spaces compared to population density. · 

For this intake, applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis, which means we don’t yet have a final list of which centres will successfully complete negotiations to become $10 a Day centres. We will continue announcing new centres on a monthly basis until our target of 12,500 spaces has been reached. · 

While there were no new $10 a Day spaces announced in the Northern Health Authority this month, there are currently 530 $10 a Day spaces in the Northern Health Authority from previous application intakes. 

Since 2018, in the North Coast electoral district, government has invested over $15 million in child care, with $4 million of this going back to parents. Through our New Spaces Fund and Start-Up Grants, about 290 new child care spaces have been funded for creation in the North Coast electoral district since 2018-19, including 60 spaces in Prince Rupert. 

Through the recently announced expanded fee reductions, which take effect Dec. 1, combined with the expansion of the Province’s $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, over 20,000 child care spaces will cost $10 a day or less for B.C. families throughout the province. 

Approximately 69,000 families will be benefiting from the fee reductions of up to $900 a month per child. As well, modest and low-income families making less than $111,000 per year may also be eligible for additional fee reductions through the Province’s Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) – with some paying less than $200 a month and others nothing at all. 

Information on ACCB can be found here:

As for the local situation, the MLA's office provided a graph that outlines the most recent data towards cost of Child Care in the community.

click to enlarge

As well, Ms. Rice offered up some thoughts on the current situation for the North Coast.

“All that to say, while we may not yet have a designated $10/day daycare site in Prince Rupert we have many parents paying the equivalent of $10/day, or near to or even less than $10/day childcare which is good news for parents. This allows parents, predominantly women to participate in the workforce. 

I’ve met many parents who wanted to work but it simply did not make sense when they were paying more in child-care than they would earn. For them it was more affordable to stay home and not work. With multiple sector-wide labour shortages, our investments in childcare (particularly in making it more affordable for people) is helping solve the labour shortage. 

It has also made significant changes for families, allowing them to have more money in their pockets to address the rising costs of living whether that be gas or groceries or even having funds to afford extra curricular activities. These investments are making a big difference and I’m really proud of that. – MLA Jennifer Rice

The MLA further notes of the challenges facing the community when it comes to tackling the issue in Prince Rupert.

"I don’t have a clear understanding of who applied or intends to apply specifically for a $10/day site but one provider said they didn't meet the deadline in time. However, they are a part of the new financial model and relayed they are very thankful for this. They can't wait to see this applied to other ages as well. 

The CCCR /Berry Patch informs me that Prince Rupert is short of childcare providers and spaces (people are retiring). Some family childcare providers are asking not to get referrals because it is overwhelming. 

Out of 18 family childcare providers 7 have asked the CCCR to not send referrals because they can't accommodate. I recognize that collectively, we have more work to do. The CCCR also states, “it takes 3-4 months to become a childcare provider. 

So if you know people who want to be childcare providers out of their homes, let them know there is work!” -- MLA Jennifer Rice

All of which suggests we may be a bit aways from the debut of Ten Dollar Day Care in the short term on the North Coast.

Background on the Ten Dollar Day Care program can be found here.

More on Child Care themes from the Province can be reviewed here.

Our notes on the work of Northwest MLA's in the Legislature can be explored through our archive page.