ChildCareBC Bulletin

Edition 113, February 27, 2026

Archived editions

Budget 2026: Building a Fair, Sustainable Child Care System Together

Budget 2026 reaffirms the Province’s commitment to ensuring every family in B.C. has access to affordable, high-quality, and inclusive child care.  With $2.9 billion in child care investments over the next three years, the Province is protecting the child care services families rely on today while laying the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable system for the future.

To help stabilize the sector during this transition, Budget 2026 includes an additional $330 million over the next three years

What is staying the same:

Families will continue to benefit from the full suite of ChildCareBC programs:

• Savings through the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, Affordable Child Care Benefit, Aboriginal Head Start and $10 a Day ChildCareBC centres will continue
• Families will keep saving an average of $7,200 per year, per child through ChildCareBC’s fee reduction programs

Providers will continue to benefit from the current array of operational supports:

• Child Care Operating Funding, (including the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative), and all existing Aboriginal Head Start and $10-a-day centres will continue
• ECE wage enhancements of up to $6 an hour will continue to support the child care workforce
• ECE bursaries will be extended until April 2027, supporting more people to enter the early childhood education field
• Funding for school district early learning and child care leads will continue, with a $10.5 million investment supporting school districts as they grow school-based child care

What is changing:

To ensure stability now and thoughtful expansion later, Budget 2026 introduces the following adjustments:

• The Province is temporarily pausing new enrolment into the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program and the New Spaces Fund
• This pause does not affect families or providers already participating
• B.C. is increasing efforts to expand before- and after -school care, particularly on school grounds, where it is conveniently located and familiar for children
• A new $5 million investment to help school districts convert existing school spaces into child care, supported by $20 million in operating funding over three years
• This builds on legislation passed last fall that makes it easier for school districts to offer child care directly on school grounds

Looking ahead: Strengthening ChildCareBC

ChildCareBC is still a young social program and strengthening it for the long term will take careful, thoughtful work. As the Province begins to update and modernize funding and service models, this work will be done in partnership with the sector, providers, families, communities and title and rights holders.

This collaboration is essential. We need to get this right for B.C. families and we know we need to move quickly to make the necessary changes so today’s children and generations to come, benefit from a stable, equitable child care system.

Guided by the people most impacted, including families, providers, Early Childhood Educators, and Indigenous partners, the Province will continue building a system that reflects the needs and strengths of communities across B.C.

Please continue to monitor the ChildCareBC Bulletin and ChildCareBC web page for future updates

Commitment to Indigenous-led child care

Budget 2026 also continues to protect and strengthen investments in culturally relevant, Indigenous-led child care. This includes ongoing funding through the ChildCareBC Plan and support made possible through partnerships with the Government of Canada under the Province’s bilateral funding agreements. Ensuring Indigenous children have access to culturally grounded, community-led care remains a core commitment.  

For more details on Budget 2026 child care investments and upcoming changes, please visit the Budget 2026 Highlights web page.

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Reminder: ECEBC Education Support Fund applications opening March 2

The Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC) will be accepting applications to the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Student Bursary and the ECE Workforce Development Bursary from 7:00 a.m. on March 2 until 11:59 p.m. on March 13.

Bursaries will be available to students enrolled in a program of study for early childhood education through recognized early childhood education institutions and programs. Funding will be distributed upon proof of course completion with a passing grade, through the submission of a transcript following the end of the semester. Please note only Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply and receive bursaries.

Transcripts showing completed courses must be uploaded to your online account by 11:59 p.m. on May 15, 2026. Please note that ECEBC does not accept transcripts sent by third parties (school/college), or by fax, post, email or in-person.

Please contact the bursary team at bursary@ecebc.ca or call 604-709-6063 ext. 1 if you have any questions or require assistance.

For further information on the ECE Education Support Fund and to apply, please visit the ECEBC website.

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Reminder: Child Care Operating Funding 2026 – 2027 renewal open

As of January 7, 2026, child care providers can renew their Child Care Operating Funding agreements and opt into the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement programs for the 2026 - 2027 funding year.

Over 2,000 child care facilities are already pre-approved to participate in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative for 2026 - 2027. Child Care Operating Funding agreements were sent out earlier this week and providers are encouraged to review their agreements carefully so they can confirm their participation by providing full approval of the terms.

As in previous years, providers joining the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative must start with fees that reflect typical rates in their region. Providers already participating may increase approved fees by up to 3% of the regional median fee.

As communicated to all recent applicants last week, the Province is not expanding the current $10-a-day program at this time. Providers who applied in the most recent intake must renew their Child Care Operating Funding agreements to avoid any interruptions in funding.

Please note an important policy shift in the fee reduction program: As of April 1, 2026, participating providers may only charge optional fees for extended hours after offering a minimum of 9.5 hours of care during regular operating hours.

For more information, please see the fee reduction funding guidelines or the wage enhancement funding guidelines. Important timelines and additional information is available on the Apply for or renew web page. If you have questions or need support, call 1-888-338-6622 (press 2), Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Post-Secondary Program Portal launch

Launched in February, the new Post-Secondary Program Portal provides educational institutions that offer recognized early childhood educator programs with the ability to review their program profiles and communicate directly with the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Registry. Representatives from eligible institutions can sign-in using their business BCeID. More features, such as the ability to submit program applications will be introduced in future updates.

The new portal will not impact existing processes between institutions and the ECE Registry.

For more information, contact the ECE Registry at 1-888-338-6622 (option 3) or email ECERegistry.Programs@gov.bc.ca and visit the ChildCareBC website.

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Register for Nurturing Play and Beyond Course for Early Childhood Educators

The School Aged Child Care Association of BC is offering Nurturing Play and Beyond: Middle Years Child Care Fundamentals, Principles & Practices, an online, hybrid course created to address the gap in accessible, high-quality, holistic training for early childhood educators, early childhood educator assistants and school-age educators working with school-aged children.

Course details

• Four-weeks in length
• Six hours of self-led course material per week
• Two-hour facilitated session at the end of each week
• Nine modules inspired by the B.C. Early Learning Framework, including trauma-informed practice, and guidance from subject matter experts in child care and education
• Participants receive a certificate for 27 professional development hours
• Cost: $270.
• Cohort 1: March 7 - 28, 2026
• Cohort 2: April 4-25, 2026

For questions about course offerings and bursary options, contact Tyler Summers.

For details and to register, visit the Nurturing Play and Beyond: Middle Years Child Care Fundamentals Principles & Practices web page.

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February is Black History Month

As we approach the end of February, we continue to recognize the 30th annual Black History Month in Canada. First acknowledged by the House of Commons in 1995, this month offers an important opportunity to celebrate the many contributions and achievements that Black people make toward the well-being of British Columbia.

Since at least 1858, Black communities and people of African descent have helped shape the province we live in today. You can read the Premier’s, Minister’s and parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives’ statements on Black Excellence Day.

At ChildCareBC, we remain dedicated to supporting every child in living a happy, healthy life and reaching their full potential. This includes ensuring equitable access to inclusive child care, where children of all abilities and backgrounds can fully engage in early learning and care experiences.

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