B.C.'s Elusive $10-a-Day Child Care: A Lottery System Leaving Families Behind
The British Columbia NDP's landmark 2018 promise of $10-a-day child care has transformed into what even the province's own minister describes as a "lottery" system. With median daycare rates in B.C. sitting at approximately $29 per day—the highest in Canada according to Statistics Canada—the reality falls dramatically short of the political pledge that once positioned B.C. as a national leader in affordable child care.
The Harsh Reality of Access and Equity
Education and Child Care Minister Lisa Beare recently acknowledged the system contains "structural inequities," a candid admission that underscores the challenges facing families. The numbers reveal a stark picture: only 25 percent of children under age 13 in B.C.—about 170,000 youngsters—have access to any licensed child-care facility. This ratio falls significantly below standards in many other industrialized nations, creating what advocates call a crisis of availability before affordability even enters the equation.
For those fortunate enough to secure licensed care, the promised $10-a-day rate remains largely theoretical. Currently, just one in ten young children in the province attends a daycare charging the vaunted $10 fee. The majority face substantially higher costs, with many Metro Vancouver families reporting daily expenses exceeding $50 at for-profit centers that often charge extra for lunches and extended hours.
The Child Care Lottery: How Families Gamble on Affordable Care
Sharon Gregson, spokesperson for the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C., describes the desperate measures families take: "Many B.C. families put their child on as many waiting lists as possible" in hopes of winning what she calls "the $10-a-day lottery." This process begins at birth, with parents registering for multiple programs—some potentially $10-a-day sites, others not—and waiting for what Gregson terms "the amazing phone call" that signals they've "won the lottery."
The gamble extends beyond mere availability. Part of the uncertainty, Gregson explains, hinges on whether child-care programs will even apply for government approval to become $10-a-day centers, let alone receive it. This creates a patchwork system where geography becomes destiny—some communities lack any licensed programs whatsoever, while others offer limited options at widely varying price points.
Metro Vancouver's Child Care Cost Crisis
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives study highlights the extreme regional disparities within B.C. itself. The four most expensive cities for child care in Canada are all located in Metro Vancouver:
- Richmond leads with median preschool fees of $39 per day
- Surrey follows at $31 daily
- Vancouver averages $29 per day
- Burnaby comes in at $26 daily
These figures dramatically exceed the promised $10 rate and even surpass the national median, placing extraordinary financial pressure on young families in one of Canada's most expensive regions.
Beyond the $10 Promise: Calls for Universal $20 Alternative
Given the implementation challenges and limited reach of the $10-a-day program, some advocates are now proposing a more achievable alternative: universal $20-a-day child care. This approach would potentially reach more families while still providing substantial savings compared to current market rates. The debate highlights the tension between ideal policy goals and practical implementation, particularly in a province where child care costs have become a defining family expense.
As B.C. grapples with these challenges, the child care conversation has evolved from celebrating political promises to confronting systemic realities. The "lottery" metaphor employed by both the minister and advocates captures the random, unequal access that characterizes the current system—a far cry from the universal, affordable care envisioned in 2018. With median rates holding at nearly three times the promised amount and access remaining severely limited, the quest for affordable child care in B.C. continues to be defined more by chance than by policy certainty.
