More than 725 child care spaces are joining the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program in February.
That brings the number of spaces to 12,700 and helps families across the province save thousands of dollars per year.
“Affordable child care can be life-changing, and with these new $10-a-day spaces, we continue our work to make life more affordable for families with more spaces converted in the next few weeks,” said Grace Lore, B.C.'s Minister of State for Child Care.
“The recent child care savings and the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program are some of the ways we are making child care more affordable and allowing parents – especially mothers – to pursue opportunities and achieve financial independence and security, which benefits families, our communities and the economy as a whole.”
Spaces in the $10-a-day program reduce the average cost of child care from $1,000 a month for full-time, centre-based infant care to $200 a month for the same service, saving families an average of $800 a month per child.
BC says the program expansion represents further progress in its partnership with the federal government under the Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
The feds are contributing $3.2 billion for child care in B.C. through March 2026.
More than 6,000 spaces were added through the $10 a Day intake last year, including 728 spaces that will move to the program as of Feb. 1.
The newly approved spaces are being offered at 12 child care centres throughout B.C.
Learn More:
For information about existing $10 a Day ChildCareBC facilities and spaces, criteria, guidelines and priority areas under this intake, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare10aDaychildcare
To apply for the ACCB, visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/affordablechildcarebenefit
For information about ChildCareBC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare
For about the 2021-26 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/british-columbia-canada-wide-2021.html
For information about Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care: https://canada.ca/child-care