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Funding child care as a core service families can rely on

Last updated on March 5, 2024

The ChildCareBC Vision is for child care to be a core service available to every family that wants it, when they need it, at a price they can afford.

Five things you need to know about...

The operating funding model:

  • The future operating funding model will simplify the funding process for child care providers.  
  • The future operating funding model will reflect regional differences in the costs associated with providing inclusive and culturally safe child care. The considerations used for determining regional differences will be informed by data from child care providers, and communicated with the sector.
  • The operating funding model will facilitate the move to $10-a-day child care throughout the province.
  • Not-for-profit, private, and public child care providers will all be invited to join the future operating funding model.
  • The structure of the operating funding model and accompanying quality assessment and accountability tools are still under development and are being informed by an ongoing engagement process.

Engagements

Please visit the Early Learning and Child Care Engagement homepage for information about past engagements and where you can subscribe to be notified of future opportunities.

Frequently asked questions

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Will wages be considered in the new funding model?

Government is developing a wage grid to ensure that early childhood professionals are compensated fairly and recognized as skilled career professionals. It will consider current market rates for ECE wages, including the $4 per hour wage enhancement provided by government.

 

Will wages for ECEs be equivalent to those of teachers?

  • Compensation for Early Care and Learning professionals is a significant part of the overall expenses for child care providers and a key element of the future funding model for child care
  • At this stage, discussions about a wage grid and other aspects of overall compensation have started and will be carefully considered
  • In the meantime, the $4 an hour wage enhancement announced for front-line ECEs will continue – as part of the ongoing commitment to improve wages for this important work
 

Will ECE wages account for higher living expenses per region?

  • Regional differences are being considered as part of the discussions on the wage grid and the funding model
 

How will the future funding system work? What will government cover vs. parents vs. the operator?

  • Government’s vision for $10/day child care does not mean that a provider must operate on $10/day
  • It means that parent fees will be no more than $10/day and additional standard operating costs, including staff wages, will be included in the future funding model
  • The current engagement process is helping to inform what costs government may consider as part of the future funding model
 

Will private child care centres fit into the new model?

  • Private providers play an important role in delivering child care in B.C. and in supporting children and families. Private providers are welcomed to continue to work with the Province to build a strong future for child care in B.C.
  • The Province’s goal is to make quality child care into an affordable core service that every family can rely on
  • While operating funds will continue to be provided to all types of child care operators, public funds to create new spaces, built using consistent standards, that will remain affordable for the public in the long term, will be targeted to public and not-for-profit organizations
 

What will be the support for Registered Licence-Not-Required child care?

  • The Start-Up Grants program is available to unlicensed and Registered-Licence-Not-Required providers to become licensed. Existing funding will remain at this time
 

What will happen to existing funding programs?

Government will continue all existing funding programs for parents, child care operators and ECEs as is until the new funding model is developed and implemented. Further, we will take the time required to systematically transition to the new funding model.