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Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As you may have heard by now, MCFD has announced its plan for child care for the 2007-08 fiscal year. It includes maintenance of the Child Care Subsidy thresholds and rates established in October 2005 and unchanged funding for the Supported Child Development Program. This is positive news for some vulnerable families.
Other parts of this same announcement are not so good:

  1. An immediate Cap on the Child Care Operating Funding (CCOF) Program as well as reductions to the CCOF rates of July 1, 2007
  2. Cancellation of the Major Capital Grants Program
  3. Drastic reductions in funding for Child Care Resource & Referral Programs effective April 1, 2007 with virtual elimination of CCRRs as we know them today by October 1, 2007.

The overall Provincial budget for Child Care Resource & Referral Programs will be reduced from the current $7 million for a six month period to $4.5 million effective April 1 through to September 30, 2007. At October 1, 2007, this same budget will fall to $1.5 million for the following six months through to March 31, 2008.

Many words have been used to describe this decision but it all comes down to one thing – it is BAD! Bad for families, bad for care providers, bad for organizations, and ultimately and most importantly, bad for the children who will be once again caught in the crossfire – or perhaps misfire – of government policy based on single-minded ideology!

How ironic that this announcement follows immediately on the Federal Finance Committee’s recommendation that “the Federal Government, in conjunction with provincial and territorial governments, should fund a national, accessible, affordable, high quality publicly regulated child care system”.

While it is true that the Federal Conservatives have terminated the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement effective March 31 of this year, it is also true that the provincial government has an unprecedented surplus at its disposal – more than $2 billion. Yet, we learn of BC’s plan to devastate the already fragile child care sector in our province with massive cuts to existing programs.

What do these funding cuts mean for BC families and those who care for their young children?

  • Child care services are once again severely destabilized.
  • In some child care programs, fees will rise to cover the shortfall created by the reductions in CCOF; some programs may close.
  • At a time when the need for regulated quality child care continues to soar, fewer licensed group child care programs will be able to open.
  • By October 1, 2007 every CCRR in the province will close. Many will close sooner – in 10 short weeks. Those CCRRs that remain open until September 30 will face severe funding cuts, drastic staffing reductions, and crippled services.

And there’s more…

  • No registry of license-not-required care providers who meet province-wide standards of care.
  • No accountability for license-not-required care providers including no criminal record checks, reference checks, first aid training or health and safety checks of the LNR child care setting.
  • No community-based referrals or child care education workshops for parents looking for quality child care for their children.
  • No start up funding for LNR or Licensed family child care providers.
  • No business management/start up support for LNR or Licensed family child care providers.
  • No outreach services to Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal child care settings in small, isolated communities.
  • No more FREE drop in programs for parents and caregivers and their children.
  • No training, monitoring or support for LNR or Licensed family child care providers.
  • No Resource Lending Library or training courses and workshops, all elements that are known to support quality care for children.
  • No community-based face-to-face information and assistance for families applying for Child Care Subsidy

Let your voice be heard!

If these matters are important to you and your community, send your comments in writing immediately to your local elected government representatives as well as to

Together We’re Better,


Christine Hibbert
Chairperson
Westcoast Board of Directors