Ella Dalling has been on daycare waitlists for her nine-month-old daughter Murph since early in her pregnancy. Despite applying to around 20 daycares in Vancouver, she has yet to secure a spot for her child. The absence of fee caps in British Columbia results in daycare prices varying widely, ranging from $200 to $2,000 per month. Dalling emphasizes that when a spot becomes available, parents often prioritize securing it without considering the cost.
To address the challenges faced by parents in finding daycare spots, Dalling created an online platform called Little Scout. This platform allows daycares to post available spots, enabling parents to easily locate nearby options. Through her platform, she has interacted with parents and child-care providers across British Columbia who highlight the need for improvements in the current system. Some families are even contemplating not having a second child due to daycare availability issues.
A recent report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives reveals that British Columbia lags behind other provinces in providing universal affordable child care. The province’s child-care system consists of a mix of private and non-profit operators, some receiving significant government subsidies while others charge full fees. David Macdonald, co-author of the report, points out the complexity in determining child-care costs in British Columbia, leaving parents uncertain about expenses.
The report indicates that daycare fees in British Columbia are among the highest in Canada, with infant care costs ranging from $28 to $52 per day across various cities in the province. While British Columbia parents have seen some savings following a child-care funding agreement with the federal government in 2021, the savings amount to only $300 to $500 per month. In contrast, parents in provinces with fee caps benefit from more substantial savings.
Six provinces and territories, including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island, have imposed a $10-a-day cap on child-care fees. Alberta and Ontario have set maximum daily fees at $15 and $22, respectively. Despite being a leader in advocating for $10-a-day universal child care, British Columbia has faced criticism for stalling on this initiative. Advocates like Sharon Gregson from the $10-a-day Child Care Campaign express disappointment in the government’s lack of progress compared to other provinces.
Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare, who was unavailable for an interview, has expressed concerns about structural inequities in the $10-a-day program, which currently operates on a lottery system rather than need-based criteria. Consequently, the B.C. government has halted the expansion of the $10-a-day child-care program for three years to collaborate with families, providers, Indigenous partners, and the federal government in designing a more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable child-care system for the future.