Families across British Columbia are set to benefit from new government investments in child care, which will provide more affordable child care spaces and fund new child care centre projects.
“With economic challenges and rising costs, we are making important investments in child care,” said Lisa Beare, B.C.’s Minister of Education and Child Care. “By increasing access to affordable child care, we are saving families thousands of dollars each year, helping working British Columbians, and securing a stronger future for the province.”
The government is investing more than $62 million to create over 750 new licensed child care spaces across B.C. These spaces will be part of accelerated space-creation programs. Once operational, they will be eligible for the government’s fee-reduction program, ensuring child care remains affordable for families.
“As Langford grows, providing affordable and high-quality child care is a top priority,” said Scott Goodmanson, mayor of Langford, a community that received funding from the New Spaces Fund. “We are grateful for the support from both provincial and federal governments in addressing this need. Partnerships like these are crucial to achieving our shared goals.”
Additionally, between March 1 and April 1, 2025, 770 new $10-a-day spaces will open at 22 child care centres throughout B.C., including in Surrey, Parksville, and Williams Lake.
“Communication Stars Specialized Childcare is excited to be part of the $10-a-Day ChildCare BC program,” said Noreen Simmons, executive director of the BC Family Hearing Resource Society. “This will allow us to continue providing high-quality bilingual care in English and American Sign Language, which supports the needs of the children we serve. Our parents will be less stressed, knowing they have access to affordable, quality care.”
The government’s focus for this investment is to expand the $10-a-day program into communities that do not yet have access to it and to support providers in low-income areas. Through the $10-a-day ChildCareBC program, the cost of child care for children under five will drop significantly, from an average of $1,115 per month for full-time, centre-based care to just $200 per month. This will save families an average of $915 per child each month.
“The $10-a-day savings will make a big difference for our family,” said Ami, a parent. “We are grateful to Communication Stars Specialized Childcare and the teachers for providing a language-rich program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. The $10-a-day program is crucial in helping families like ours access high-quality, affordable specialized child care.”
These new investments in licensed child care spaces and the continued growth of the $10-a-day child care program represent progress in partnership with the federal government. The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement supports the $10-a-Day ChildCareBC program, the New Spaces Fund, and additional funding through the federal 2025-26 Child Care Infrastructure Fund, which will help create more child care spaces.
Since 2018, the Province of B.C. and the Government of Canada have invested nearly $8 billion through the ChildCareBC program. This investment has led to the creation of over 40,000 new child care spaces—more than 23,000 of which are already open—and over 16,000 $10-a-day spaces throughout the province.
