Let’s make this happen: affordable quality child care for all British Columbians

We all agree that investing in kids makes good sense.

Neuroscience tells us “the earlier, the better. Early childhood development gives the best payback.” Many other studies also confirm that the quality of care children receive in their early years affects them for life, and that quality child care is a smart economic investment: “A dollar invested in early childhood yields three times as much for school-aged children and eight-times as much for adult education.”¹

Did you know?

• Canada ranks last among developed countries in supporting quality early learning and child care.
• BC has licensed child care spaces for just 20% of children.
• Fees are too high—the second highest family expense after housing.
• Fees are high because, unlike libraries, parks and schools that receive public funds to cover most operating costs, child care is primarily a user fee service.

Recently, Insights West conducted a poll on a $10aDay child care plan and the findings indicate strong support across British Columbia for an affordable and accessible quality early learning and child care system for all British Columbians.

• 3 in 4 British Columbians (74%) support the $10aDay proposal, including 83% of those who have had recent experiences with child care.
• They are also keenly aware of some of the advantages that a real investment in child care would bring to the province, including a more effective workforce (83%), benefits to the economy and health care (72%), return on investment (64%) and more tax revenue for the province (63%).

Why the $10aDay Plan?

Affordable and accessible quality early learning and child care will not only bring benefits to the children, but the investment will also help their parents and our community and province.

• For the children: give them the best start in life and increase their school readiness and a reduction in dropout rates.
• For their parents: parents, primarily mothers, can increase their participation in the workforce when affordable and accessible quality child care is available.
• For the community: healthier and happier families as the system will enable children and families to reach their full potential.
• For the British Columbia: BC’s growing needs for a skilled labour force in the coming decade will be addressed.

Let’s join the thousands of British Columbians working to ensure that the $10aDay Plan becomes a reality – affordable and accessible quality early learning and child care for all British Columbians. Sign the petition and share this post with your networks! Across our province, supporters of this $10 a Day Plan are calling on government to adopt and implement the plan.

_{¹ McCain, Hon. Margaret Norrie, J. Fraser Mustard, Dr. Stuart Shanker (March 2007) Early Years Study 2: Putting Science into Action, Toronto, Ontario: Council for Early Childhood Development, p. 136}