$10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres
Last updated on May 22, 2025
In addition to the fee reduction program, the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program is one of the key ways child care is becoming more affordable for B.C. families. The positive financial impact on families with children in $10-a-day child care is significant, with families paying no more than $200 a month per child for full-time enrolment during regular business hours, regardless of the care type.
Combined with other ChildCareBC affordability programs, some families may pay little to nothing at all through additional funding programs, such as the Affordable Child Care Benefit.
2024-25 $10 a Day ChildCareBC program expansion
Between March 1 and April 1, 2025, families will be benefiting from 770 new $10-a-day spaces at 22 child care centres throughout B.C., with the total number of $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces reaching approximately 16,000 spaces at 334 child care centres.
From October 1, 2024, to November 7, 2024, eligible Child Care Operating Funding child care providers who have been operational and participating for at least one year were able to apply to join the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program.
During the process, priority was given to larger non-profit, publicly delivered and Indigenous-led providers that primarily offer care to children up to five years of age and in communities that have no or a low number of $10-a-day spaces compared to their region’s population density. Changes to criteria for the 2024-25 intake targeted low-income areas to provide better access to $10-a-day spaces in those communities.
Some applications have been placed on an eligibility list that will expire on April 1, 2026. During this period, should an opportunity become available to join the program and/or the evaluation criteria changes, applications may be reassessed. At that time, applicants will be invited to review their existing application to confirm that the information is still accurate or update any new information and required documents.
Participating child care providers will be able to share feedback and suggestions to improve the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program.
Any future intake announcements or information will be posted to this page.
Additional program information
About the $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres
In 2018, the first cohort of more than 2,500 spaces at 50 $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres were approved for operation through the Canada-British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (ELCC), providing child care providers with the opportunity to offer inclusive, affordable child care.
In B.C. Budget 2021, over 4,000 additional $10-a-day spaces were added, for a total of 6,500 spaces by April 2022. By partnering with the Government of Canada through the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the number of $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces increased to 13,200 through the 2022-23 intake.
All regions of the province and all types of licensed child care operators are represented in the current $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, including rural and urban areas, not-for-profits, home-based and sole proprietors, corporations, public institutions and Indigenous-led child care programs.
The Province has passed its initial goal of more than 15,300 $10 a Day ChildCareBC spaces.
Report on the Evaluation and Analysis of $10 a Day ChildCareBC Program
Additional resources
Contact information
For questions about the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program, please contact us at the phone number below.
1-888-338-6622 (Option 7)
childcarebc.engagement@gov.bc.ca