ChildCareBC Bulletin

Edition 92, September 4, 2024

Archived editions

Early Learning and Child Care Act and enhanced Affordable Child Care Benefit now in effect

As an integral part of the ChildCareBC Plan, the Early Learning and Child Care Act (ELCCA) came into force on September 1, 2024, and reaffirms the government's ongoing commitment to make child care more affordable and supports inclusive and culturally safe child care as a key priority for the Province.

The ELCCA combines, consolidates and replaces the former Child Care Subsidy Act and the Child Care BC Act, and expands the purpose for which a child care grant may be paid to include:

• Establishing a child care facility
• Improving the inclusivity in child care for children with support needs and
• facilitating the design and delivery of Indigenous child care programs

The Act also expands the role of the Provincial Child Care Council by authorizing it to make recommendations respecting child care beyond child care funding.

The public, including families, providers and the wider sector, will have additional insight into government supports towards child care in B.C., as well as the achieved outcomes from this funding thanks to new annual reporting requirements.

Alongside the implementation of the ELCCA, changes have been made to improve the delivery of the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB).

As of September 1, 2024, enhanced ACCB supports are now available to families when their child care is arranged or recommended by an Indigenous authority under Indigenous law. This means that families receive the same support with their child care costs, regardless of whether their child care is arranged or recommended by the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies, or under Indigenous law.

These changes support Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services and confirm government’s ongoing commitment to making child care more affordable and inclusive. These changes do not impact eligibility requirements or reduce funding amounts to families who have not had their child care arranged or recommend by an Indigenous authority.

Please visit the ChildCareBC website for further information on the implementation of the ELCCA and changes to ACCB.

The Province’s first dedicated Francophone Child Care Resource and Referral Centre is now in operation

As of September 1, 2024, the Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique now provides francophone child care resource and referral (CCRR) services throughout the Province.

This is the Province’s first dedicated francophone CCRR service provider, and provides expanded services in French to support Francophone families, child care providers, the child care workforce, and assist local CCRRs in supporting Francophone service users within their communities.

This represents another step in the Province’s commitment to building inclusive and culturally safe child care as a core service that families can rely on.

We would like to thank all those who have been part of this process and we look forward to working with Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique in the years ahead.

ChildCareBC website update

The ChildCareBC website has been refreshed with a new look and feel to help families, child care partners and providers, and early childhood professionals easily find the information they need, when they need it.

The refreshed website improves the overall user-experience by grouping information into six categories:

• ChildCareBC programs
• Information for families
• Information for partners and providers
• Support for early childhood professionals
• Communications and engagement
• Our Plan: ChildCareBC

Please note that you may need to update bookmarks to pages you frequently visit as the website structure has changed.

The ChildCareBC digital team welcomes your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts on the new design. If you have a few minutes, check out the new ChildCareBC website and provide your feedback through the redesign feedback form.

Reminder: Provincial election interregnum begins in B.C. on September 21, 2024

The 2024 British Columbia general election is scheduled for October 19, 2024. Starting September 21, 2024, when the election is officially called, the B.C. government will enter a caretaker period which limits government communication to statutory, routine, emergency or public health and safety matters.

The caretaker period will end when a new government is formed and sworn in, which is anticipated to be late November or early December. During this time, routine government work will continue as usual.

During the caretaker period, government must refrain from committing the incoming government to any new actions or policies, and government communication will pause.

• There will be no new announcements from ChildCareBC
• ChildCareBC website updates and the ChildCareBC Bulletin will be paused
• Public and child care sector engagements will also be placed on hold, including the Provincial Child Care Council and the Child Care Communications Advisory Group

Families, providers and the early childhood workforce will continue to be supported through ChildCareBC programs during the caretaker period.

Current ChildCareBC programs, including the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program and Operating Funding Model, Child Care Operating Funding, Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, Start-up Grants and Maintenance Fund programs will continue without interruption.

The ChildCareBC contact centre will remain open to provide support to families, child care providers and the workforce from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 1-888-338-6622.

Reminder: Emergency Management Resource package for child care facilities and school districts

The Ministry of Education and Child Care has created resources to support child care facilities and school districts with emergency preparedness, response and recovery. The Education and Child Care Emergency Management Support Key Contacts 2024 includes key contact information for ministry and partner staff in the event of emergency. This document is intended for child care facilities, school districts and independent schools.

The Information Package – Emergency Management 2024 is a collection of information and resources for child care facilities, school administrators, independent schools, families and community regarding emergency management, wildfires, heat events, mental health and well-being, financial resources and droughts.