EXCERPTS:
Newly announced provincial funding to child care does nothing to make
it more affordable and is merely a “misguided” attempt by the B.C.
Liberal Party to reaffirm its families-first agenda on the eve of an
election campaign, child care advocates say.
Premier Christy Clark
outlined the details of the B.C Early Years Strategy on Wednesday at
the Dorothy Lam Children’s Centre in Vancouver. It is one of only a
handful of spending initiatives in the three-year fiscal plan released
on Tuesday.
The government pledged to increase spending on early-years services
by $76-million in the first three years of an eight-year commitment.
Funds will go towards 2,000 new child care spaces, an office to
co-ordinate services and programs, and a network of early-years centres.
Families earning less than $100,000 annually will also qualify for a
$55 monthly tax credit per child under six beginning on April 1, 2015.
“I
think she [Ms. Clark] should be honest – this is her election
platform,” said Sharon Gregson, spokeswoman for the Coalition of Child
Care Advocates of B.C. “This is not a strategy and it’s not a plan. It
is little more than making some promises to throw money at bunch of
areas of child care. There’s nothing comprehensive about building a
system here.”
Ms. Gregson’s strongest criticism of the
government’s proposal is that it does little to address affordability –
she said there is no guarantee new child care spaces will be affordable.
“The
$55 a month that they’re promising to start two years from now can pay
for one day of child care in East Vancouver today, never mind two years
from now,” Ms. Gregson said. “On paper, this plan might look like the
government is doing something, but there is nothing in here that is
supporting working families or young people today.”
Ms. Clark, on
the other hand, said the plan will help “in a very real way,” adding
that the province’s economy depends on supporting families through
various measures, including child care.
“That isn’t revolutionary
thinking by any means, but we often need to remind ourselves again and
again of that necessity,” Ms. Clark said.
Child care advocates have long argued for a $10-a-day approach, but Ms. Clark said such a program “simply isn’t affordable.“
She said the government’s new plan addresses issues of access, quality and affordability in the system.
-reprinted from the Globe and Mail