New Democrat MLA Claire Trevena today commended childcare advocates for convincing the B.C. Liberal government to reverse some of their cuts to Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) Program.
“Thanks to continued public pressure, this government appears to be backing down from their threat to force the closure of Child Care Resource and Referral centres,” said Trevena, the Opposition Critic for Childcare. “I congratulate childcare advocates for this, won through their perseverance.”
North Coast MLA Gary Coons is thrilled that public reaction and political will from advocates made a big difference.
“The B.C. Liberals have been trying to mislead British Columbians with the idea that they support child care, when in fact they were pulling the rug out from under our child care system with a set of cuts to child care, including reductions in operating funds and the closure of Child Care Resource and Referral Centres,” said MLA Gary Coons. “Did this government realize the impacts that their cuts would have, or is this just more political posturing?”
Government officials have informed members of the childcare community that the Minister of State for Childcare Linda Reid is reversing her decision to cut the CCRR budget, and will be providing $9 million of funding on an ongoing basis. This decision comes more than six weeks after Reid informed childcare providers that their budget was going to be reduced from $14 million to $3 million, sparking widespread protests throughout B.C.
Trevena noted that many Child Care Resource and Referral centres have already been forced to start sending out lay-off notices and that this most recent development has created confusion amongst childcare providers and parents.
“This government does not have a comprehensive plan for provincial childcare,” stated Trevena, the MLA for North Island. “And we have no reason to believe that this most recent flip-flop will repair the chaos caused by this government’s mismanagement of the childcare system.”
Trevena pointed out that the overall budget for childcare is still dangerously low. “The B.C. Liberals have cut $50 million from the childcare budget since 2001. Working families cannot find childcare spaces and there’s now a freeze on any new spaces.”
Trevena noted that the CCRR budget will still be $5 million short of where it was last year, noting that “Minister Reid and the B.C. Liberals sat back and watched as the Harper government gutted federal funding.”
Coons indicated that the opposition will continue to be the voice of working families and will pressure for regulated child care improvements for all British Columbians.