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Terrace, Kitimat and Smithers areas benefit from $10-a-day childcare spaces

The northwest area will see 348 new $10-a-day spaces across six child care sites
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In Terrace, the Coast Mountain Children Society will see the $10-a-day apply to 176 spaces and P.A.C.E.S Day Care Society will see the same for 76 spaces. (Ben Bogstie/Terrace Standard)

Northwest B.C. families will now benefit from the provincial government’s $10-a-day child care program, which means at these sites families will pay not more than $200 each month per child, for full time enrolment.

The province announced on March 25 that the region will see 348 new $10-a-day spaces across six child care sites in the Kitimat, Terrace and Smithers areas.

In Budget 2021, the province committed to expanding the number of $10-a-day spaces in B.C. by converting 3,750 licensed child care spaces into low-cost spaces for families. The 348 new $10-a-day spaces in the northwest are part of this commitment.

Since 2018, northwest B.C. has opened eight $10-a-day ChildCareBC sites, offering a total of 438 spaces.

In Terrace, the Coast Mountain Children Society will see the $10-a-day apply to 176 spaces (36 infant-toddler, 80 three years old to kindergarten age, 60 school age) and P.A.C.E.S Day Care Society will see the same for 76 spaces.

Coast Mountain Children Society in Kitimat will get the same subsidy for 33 spaces (eight infant-toddler, 25 three years old to kindergarten age). The Haisla Nation Council will see this application at its Cimo’ca Childcare in Kitimaat Village benefit with 34 spaces covered (eight infant-toddler, 16 three years old to kindergarten age, 10 school age).

This expansion increases the number of $10-a-day ChildCareBC spaces available for families from 2,500 when the program began in 2018 to more than 6,500. By partnering with the Government of Canada through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, $10-a-day ChildCareBC spaces will more than double again to 12,500 by December 2022.

READ MORE: B.C. budget to expand $10-a-day child care, but misses the mark on ‘truly universal’ system



About the Author: Binny Paul

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