BC Liberal Party for Columbia River-Revelstoke candidate Doug Clovechok highlighted Friday’s announcement by the BC Liberals that, if elected to government, they will implement a $1 billion plan to bring $10-a-day child care to low-income families and affordable child care for families who need it most.

“Our plan to provide an immediate expansion of affordable childcare is a real lifeline for all parents across Columbia River-Revelstoke who have struggled for years to find daycare for their kids,” said incumbent Clovechok. “COVID-19 has increased the pressure on families, which is why bold action is needed to help parents continue to work and look after their families. Immediately expanding affordable childcare, on top of eliminating the PST for one year, means more money for parents at a time when they need it the most.”

Under the BC Liberal plan, families with annual household incomes of up to $65,000 will have access to $10-a-day child care and there will be stepped rates for families with incomes up to $125,000.

Clovechok pointed out in a media release, “unlike the fake promise of $10-a-day child care by John Horgan and the NDP three years ago, the BC Liberals are presenting a real plan that B.C. parents can count on. Only two per cent of child care spaces in B.C. are currently offered at the $10-a-day rate after John Horgan himself admitted it was simply ‘a slogan’ after the 2017 election campaign.

“Parents and kids who need child care now will have already graduated high school by the time the NDP’s promised plan actually kicks in,” said BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson. “Unlike John Horgan and the NDP, who are bribing parents with fake promises, our fully-costed plan will make sure those who need affordable child care actually get it.”

A similarly subsidized child care program in Quebec saw government revenues from income taxes of parents back in the workforce, mostly women, covered more than 100% of the program’s cost. The BC Liberals also noted their plan to create thousands of new child care spaces will be announced in the coming days.

Wilkinson said a BC Liberal government would Implement a $1.1 billion income-tested child care plan to deliver:

• $10-a-day for families with annual household incomes up to $65,000;
• $20-a-day for families with annual household incomes up to $90,000; and
• $30-a-day for families with annual household incomes up to $125,000.

The Liberals would also implement a new, online province-wide electronic application that is voluntary for parents and required for all providers receiving government funding. A parent will have the option to reject an invitation for an available space and wait for the next one.

Clovechok noted a Liberal government would encourage and support a variety of non-profit and market-based child care providers, expand access to before-and-after school care in schools and create incentives for employers to support child care options for their employees.

Additionally, they would work collaboratively with the federal government to further expand child care options, expand training and support for better-qualified child care workers and replace the Minister of State for Child Care with a full Ministry of Child Care to manage licencing, funding, and oversight.

e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

---

Article Share

---