Excerpts from the fact sheet:
On January 5 2007 the BC government announced a series of child care funding reductions that will be implemented through October 2007. The federal government's termination of the bilateral agreements on Early Learning and Child Care was given as the rationale for the cutbacks. The province confirmed that existing commitments for child care subsidies and the Supported Child Development program (for children with additional support needs) will be maintained on an ongoing basis, but funding for:
- Child Care Resource and Referral will be reduced by 77%
- Grants that help offset operating costs for licensed family and centre-based programs providing services for children under six will be reduced by 27% (effective July 2007 through March 2008)
Furthermore, Minister Reid pointed out in her January 5 2007 letter to the child care community that, pending "clarity around Ottawa's Child Care Spaces Initiative":
- Major capital grants for new licensed spaces will not be available
- Operating funds for new licensed spaces will be subject to a "program intake cap"
This fact sheet summarizes the trends in public financing for child care in BC, within the context of BC's overall financial position, in order to support fact-based discussion within and between community and government and, ultimately, effective public policy.