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Budget 2024: What’s happening for $10aDay child care in B.C.?

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Thank goodness for federal $10aDay child care investments!
Author: 
Gregson, Sharon & Irwin, Sue
Format: 
Press release
Publication Date: 
22 Feb 2024

Excerpts

The increasing federal dollars of approx. $250 million in Budget 2024 are sustaining progress made to date, with relatively minor growth forecast over the next two years.

Meanwhile 75% of children in B.C. still don’t have access to a licensed child care program. Of the child care spaces we do have in BC only 14,000 or 10% of them are $10aDay sites – and they are “life-changing” for families.

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B.C. has the highest population growth since 1994 with 5.52 million people as of July 2023 - up 3% from 2022. But people who arrive with young children or hope to start families will have very little luck accessing child care.

With a provincial election in eight months and voters now expecting $10aDay child care we continue to call for government to deliver on its commitments and accelerate progress toward a $10aDay child care system which includes certified early childhood professionals.