Ella Dalling has been on waiting lists for daycare for her nine-month-old daughter Murph since early in her pregnancy.
“We signed up for around 20 daycare waitlists across Vancouver, but we haven’t received any responses,” Dalling shared.
Due to the absence of fee limits in British Columbia for daycares, costs can range from $200 to $2,000 per month.
“When you secure a spot at a daycare, the cost is not the primary concern; the priority is getting the spot,” Dalling emphasized.
Dalling recently launched an online platform called Little Scout, enabling daycares to list available spots and assisting parents in finding nearby options.
Through her platform, Dalling has interacted with parents and daycare providers from various regions in British Columbia, all expressing the need for enhancements in the current system.
“When families contemplate having a second child based on daycare availability, it highlights a significant issue,” remarked the Vancouver mother.
A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives highlights that British Columbia lags behind other provinces in offering universally affordable childcare.
The province’s childcare landscape comprises a mix of private and non-profit operators, some receiving substantial government subsidies while others charge full rates.
David Macdonald, a co-author of the report, noted the complexity faced by parents in determining childcare costs in British Columbia.
Out of the 35 Canadian cities examined in the report, BC cities have the highest childcare fees, with infant care costs ranging from $28 to $52 per day.
Macdonald mentioned that BC parents have seen savings since a funding agreement with Ottawa in 2021, although the savings amount to $300-$500 monthly. Provinces with fee regulations provide more substantial savings to parents.
Six provinces and territories, including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island, cap childcare fees at $10 per day, while Alberta and Ontario have higher daily maximums.
Despite being a forerunner in the push for $10-a-day universal childcare, a representative from the $10-a-day Child Care Campaign noted a stall in progress by the BC NDP government.
Sharon Gregson emphasized the need for BC to catch up with other provinces in implementing affordable childcare solutions.
Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare was unavailable for an interview but expressed concerns about the current $10-a-day program’s structural inequities, leading to a pause in its expansion.
Beare stated that the government is collaborating with families, providers, Indigenous partners, and the federal government to develop a more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable childcare system for the future.
