Ella Dalling has been on waitlists for daycare for her nine-month-old daughter Murph since early in her pregnancy.
“We applied to around 20 daycares in Vancouver, but haven’t received any responses,” Dalling shared.
Due to the absence of fee regulations for daycares in British Columbia, costs can vary significantly, ranging from $200 to $2,000 per month.
“When you secure a daycare spot, the cost is not the primary concern; the priority is securing the spot,” she emphasized.
To address the challenges faced by parents, Dalling created an online platform called Little Scout. This platform enables daycares to list available spots, assisting parents in locating nearby options.
Through her platform, Dalling has engaged with parents and childcare providers from various regions in British Columbia, all highlighting the need for improvements in the current system.
A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives reveals that British Columbia lags behind other provinces in offering affordable universal childcare.
The childcare landscape in the province comprises a mix of private and non-profit operators, some benefiting from substantial government subsidies while others charge full rates.
David Macdonald, a co-author of the report, emphasized the complexity of determining childcare costs in British Columbia, leaving parents uncertain about expenses.
The report also indicated that cities in British Columbia have the highest childcare fees among the 35 Canadian cities studied, with daily infant fees ranging from $28 in Kelowna to $52 in Richmond.
While the province has made progress in childcare funding following an agreement with the federal government in 2021, parents are saving an average of $300 to $500 monthly. In contrast, provinces with fee caps offer more significant savings.
Six provinces and territories have capped childcare fees at $10 per day, emphasizing the disparity in fee structures across different regions.
Despite previously being a leader in the $10-a-day universal childcare initiative, British Columbia has faced criticism for stalling progress on the program, prompting calls for government action.
Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare expressed concerns about the existing $10-a-day program, citing structural inequities and a lottery-based system. Consequently, the government has paused the expansion of the program to develop a more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable childcare system in collaboration with families, providers, Indigenous partners, and the federal government.