Behind $10/day Childcare...

Why are Childcare Subsidy, Gaming Grants, Child Care Operating Funding and the Major Capital Funding: Creation of New Licensed Child Care Spaces been totally omitted from the $10/day conversation?

​As an expert in the childcare field, I am tired of waiting for someone to point out what parents and care givers already have. Instead, I only hear the $10/day lure... dazzling voters into the $10/day childcare plan that the NDP is proposing.

There are a variety of avenues available already to parents and caregivers alike to help with the costs of childcare. These avenues are in place right NOW, and have been for quite some time.

There has been much skepticism about the $10/day plan, and being involved in the childcare field I see many jumping head first to endorse the proposal, I mean it sounds SO good right? But a universal benefit that subsidizes all families so they'll only need to pay $10/day for full-time and $7/day for part-time childcare is a broad benefit that may not be fiscally possible - it will cost tax payers in BC $1.5 Billion annually with a very real potential to escalate in cost... rapidly. And this plan, NDP Leader John Horgan says, could to take up to 10 years to role into effect. 

“This isn’t going to happen on the first day of the first term. This is something we’re going to be committed to working on over the course of a mandate, delivering first for those who need it the most and then developing that to make it a universal program. In 10 years, it will be as commonplace as the system in Quebec today where people don’t question it, whether they have kids or don’t have kids.” - John Horgan

So with so many financial supports already in place for families and caregivers, why would the whole of BC want to trade an already implemented support system and publicly fund the childcare industry - following in the footsteps of Quebec's failed daycare payment system? And why would we want to give up tax breaks and income splitting to pay for this plan? But no worries! Vote as you would, you'll need to vote the NDP in twice before this plan comes to fruition, if ever.

Moving beyond the $10/day hype, here is a list of current programs, grants and subsidies available already to BOTH Childcare providers and families in BC....

Childcare Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy is a monthly payment, given directly to childcare providers, to assist eligible British Columbia families with the cost of child care. Monthly subsidy payments vary depending on the family’s circumstances. The amount of subsidy is determined by the family’s total net income.

The maximum Child Care Subsidy amounts paid for by the Province of BC are scaled by family net income, age group and childcare type. BC provides a child care subsidy of up to $750 per child, depending on a family’s income and number of children. An average of 50,000 children get subsidies each year, costing the government more than $142 million. 

Gaming Grant - for non-profit Childcare Centres

The Community Gaming Grants program distributes funds from commercial gambling revenues to not-for-profit community organizations throughout the province. The program is intended to provide all eligible community organizations in British Columbia with fair and equitable access to funding for the direct delivery of approved programs to their communities. Community Gaming Grants support eligible not-for-profit organizations, including non-profit childcare centres, that deliver community programs which benefit the citizens of British Columbia. Local organizations are eligible for up to $100,000 per year, Regional organizations up to $225,000 per year and Province-wide organizations up to $250,000 per year.

Child Care Operating Funding

The Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) Program helps eligible licensed group and family child care providers with the cost of running a centre. This program is operated and funded by the Province of BC. The rates range, depending on each enrolled child's age and type of care provided. For Licensed Group Child Care, childcare providers are eligible to receive $6 per child ages 30 - 36 months that attends >4 hours/day and $12 per day for each child who attends <4 hours/day. For children ages 3 years - Kindergarten, childcare providers can receive $2.74 for each child >4 hours/day and $5.48 for each child >4 hours/day. Each day, for each child... the Province pays this to Childcare providers every month as long as they are registered and reporting enrolment. 

Major Capital Funding for BC Childcare Providers

Starting in May 2014, under Liberal leadership, the Province of BC has offered ​childcare providers throughout the province to apply for a total of $14.8 million in major capital funding to create new licensed childcare spaces for BC children. This funding stream is currently on its fourth application intake. Non-profit childcare providers are eligible for up to $500,000, while private child-care organizations are eligible for up to $250,000. 

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Article by: Heather Lemieux, Bradner Barker Editor

Heather started in childcare in 1999 as a nanny. She took ECE training at UFV in Abbotsford and ran a daycare out of her home while raising her own three children. She became involved with the Naramata Playschool Society in 2009 she filled various roles starting including the Program Manager and President.

In, 2012, Heather became a full-time writer, web designer - working with daycares and childcare centres as a specialty. In 2014, she wrote the Major Child Care Capital Funding Grant for Leapin Lizards Daycares that was approved to open their Parkway Location. In 2016, Heather wrote the same grant for Naramata Playschool Society. The grant was also approved and she currently holds the Project Manager position to set up their new daycare set to launch in September 2017.