Investing in early childhood education is so important. For every $1 we invest in childcare, we get $6 in economic benefits down the road. But the cost of private daycare is out of reach for a lot of folks on WestIsle.
For families who go to Stepping Stones and Stepping Stones Too in Port Alberni, taking care of the little ones is about to get easier.
That’s because these two daycares have just become $10 a Day sites. That means their 92 daycare spots will be capped at $200 per month. Parents pay the $200, and the province fills in the rest.
The Alberni Valley Childcare Society runs both locations. Their Baby Steps location is already part of the $10 a Day program.
The new universal daycare program is part of the province’s ChildCareBC. The BC NDP announced universal daycare back in 2018, and then promised to expand the program when they ran again in 2020.
The federal Liberals also announced a universal daycare program. BC was the first province to sign on.
When it comes to the economy, universal daycare is a no-brainer. There are lots of benefits:
- Well-trained early childhood educators teach kids skills they will use for their whole lives.
- More parents can get back into the workforce.
- Plus, parents can train for the jobs of the future, knowing their kids are safe and learning.
The money we put into daycare helps to grow the economy in a big way.
The province needs to add 12,500 new $10 a Day spaces by the end of the year to get funding from the federal government.
That’s a lot of help to BC families. And a big boost for the future.
