For Immediate Release

March 8th, IWD, is the final day of a Week of Action for $10aDay Child Care. Thousands of women and families across BC have added to the unstoppable momentum for the $10aDay Child Care Plan by signing petitions, writing letters, attending rallies, organizing stroller brigades, participating in seminars and tweeting, posting and instagramming their support.

It’s time for all politicians to respond. In honour of International Women’s Day, we challenge BC’s political parties to adopt, match or top the $10aDay Child Care Plan in their election platforms.

For 15 years, including in Budget 2017, the current BC government has responded to the growing child care crisis by adding a few more unaffordable spaces that continue to rely on undervaluing our caregiving workforce.

The solution is $10aDay Child Care. With a step-by-step increase in government funding we can lower fees to a maximum of $10aDay, create enough spaces, and enhance quality by ensuring early childhood educators are fairly-paid and well-educated.

Within four years – a new government’s first term of office – we can meet the needs of families with children under age three. By the end of a second term we can make high quality, universal $10aDay Child Care available for all children under age six.

The government revenues generated from $10aDay Child Care will offset the costs, and we’ll add $5.8 billion and 69,000 jobs to the economy. No wonder a recent Mainstreet/Postmedia poll shows that 46% of British Columbians support the Plan!

$10aDay Child Care is popular, affordable and provides concrete benefits to BC families, promptly. The BC NDP was the first political party to recognize the Plan’s broad-based benefits, and have committed to implement it if elected. It’s time for all BC political parties to step up and adopt the $10aDay Plan. Anything less condones the ongoing inequality of women in BC.

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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.

Contact: Sharon Gregson 604-505-5725 [email protected] or Lynell Anderson 604-313-6904