- Professional development opportunities to increase qualifications of existing child care workers, and the training of more early childhood educators in certified programs;

 - Establishment of professional wages for early childhood educators;

We will maintain child care subsidies and supports as needed to ensure adequate financial support for all families.

We will move the Ministry of State for Childcare into the Ministry of Education in recognition of the importance of ECE in the education outcomes for our children.

— From The BC Greens' Plan for a More Equitable and Sustainable BC.

Read less

Protecting childcare in law: Much in the way that legislation was introduced to enshrine the concept of universal health care, we will protect the principles of affordable, accessible, and inclusive quality child care in legislation.

Bringing $10-a-day child care to more families: Our focus on affordability for families has already led to 32,700 families paying $10-a-day or less on child care for their kids. Partnering with the federal government, we will expand the number of $10-a-day child care spaces while enhancing our other affordability measures - delivering savings of thousands of dollars each month to help families get ahead.

More spaces through a new child care capital program: We will exceed our target of 22,000 new child care spaces by expanding our child care capital program and modular strategy for child care. When government builds a new school, housing complex or other projects we will work to ensure child care is included in their capital plans.

More convenient and secure child care at your local school: A John Horgan NDP government will work towards providing universal access to before- and after-school care on school grounds so parents know their children are safe at one place for the full work day.

More convenient child care options for working parents: Through partnerships with crown corporations, universities, local governments, First Nations, and public and private sector employers, we will work to make sure new office/business construction and upgrades will include space for child care centres, so that more parents can access needed child care at their places of work.

Training and keeping more early learning educators: We'll make sure Early Childhood Educators (ECE) are a well-supported profession, just like teachers and other professionals who work in BC's education system. We will continue to implement and enhance the Early Care and Learning Recruitment and Retention Strategy which includes expanding our successful ECE wage enhancement program.

Integrating child care into the broader learning environment: To make sure child care is brought formally into the learning timeline, we will move responsibility for child care to the Ministry of Education. It will oversee delivery of all childcare initiatives and funding, manage a capital investment program to build more new spaces, and ensure quality care through ongoing curriculum enhancements.

— From Working for You.

Read less

Implement a new, online province-wide electronic application that is voluntary for parents and required for all providers receiving government funding. The parent would have the option to reject an invitation for an available space and wait for the next one.

Encourage and support a variety of non-profit and market-based child care providers.

Expand training and support for better qualified child care workers.

Replace the Minister of State for Child Care with a full Ministry to manage licencing (sic), funding and oversight.

— From Restore Confidence. Rebuild BC.

Read less