Courtney Dickson

The federal government says it will give British Columbia&nbsp;$69.9 million for new child-care spaces and what it describes as inclusive child-care services, and B.C. says&nbsp;930 new spaces will be added to the provincial $10-a-day child-care program this spring.&nbsp;

"Access to high-quality child care can help [children]&nbsp;do better in school and is a building block to success in life," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a press conference in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday.

The announcement&nbsp;comes just a few weeks after Premier David Eby called on&nbsp;Ottawa&nbsp;to help build B.C.'s affordable child-care program.

Earlier this month, Eby said the average cost of child care in B.C. has dropped from around $50 per day to an average of $18 per day.

The B.C. NDP has been promising $10-a-day child care since it took power in 2017.&nbsp;

B.C. premier pressed on $10-a-day child care promise

B.C. Premier David Eby was pressed this week over whether child-care costs would get to a promise his government said was in reach in 2017 — not an average cost for child care, but a universal one at $10 per day.

Premier John Horgan, Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of Vancouver, and Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care, along with parents and children at the Creekside Community Centre, celebrate a new partnership that will bring thousands of new licensed child care spaces to parents across the city. Vancouver, Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

New Child Care Spaces July 2019

A child-care worker in Vancouver reads to children in this file photo from 2019, when the B.C. government announced a partnership with the City of Vancouver that would introduce thousands of new licensed child-care spaces across the city.

The province says since 2018, it has&nbsp;

Currently there are 140,000 licensed child-care spots in B.C., according to child-care advocate Sharon&nbsp;Gregson, with about 10 per cent of those&nbsp;operating at $10 per day.

In a news release, the province said 27 child-care centres throughout B.C. will be part of the new $10-a-day spaces.&nbsp;

The new spaces announced by the province brings the total to 15,000, Minister of State for Child Care Mitzi Dean said Thursday.&nbsp;

"The families of over 15,000 children throughout B.C. have more money in their pockets as their child-care bills are cut by more than $10,000 on average per child, per year," Dean said.

The provincial government says it&nbsp;aims to have 20,000 spaces in the next two years.

Hundreds of families remain on child-care waitlists in Kamloops

Experts say staffing shortages and a lack of funding are making it difficult for people in Kamloops, B.C., to find affordable, adequate child care.

Children and early childhood educators pictured at an undisclosed child care centre in B.C.

hi-bc-130502-child-care

Parents and early childhood educators are raising concerns about the lack of child-care spaces in Kamloops, B.C.

A 'step forward': B.C. raises pay $2 per hour for some daycare workers

The province has announced a wage increase of $2 per hour for early childhood educators at licensed childcare facilities. Advocates say it's a step in the right direction, but more support is needed to keep people working in the field.

A woman with short, light brown hair wearing a black cardigan with white polka dots stands smiling at a podium.

MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill Grace Lore introduced a $2 per hour increase for Early Childhood Educators working in licensed daycare facilities. Lore made the announcement at Camosun College's Interurban Campus in Greater Victoria on Oct, 30, 2023.

Grace Lore Oct 30

Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore introduced a $2 per hour increase for early childhood educators working in licensed daycare facilities. Lore made the announcement at Camosun College's Interurban Campus in Greater Victoria on Oct. 30.

Trudeau also&nbsp;announced student loan forgiveness for early childhood educators (ECEs) in rural and remote communities, with the goal of attracting more child-care providers outside of urban centres. The federal government is also putting up $10 million over the next two years to train more ECEs.

As well, Trudeau announced a child-care expansion loan program, including $1 billion in low-cost loans and $60 million in non-repayable grants for non-profit child-care operators to expand and renovate.&nbsp;

In 2021, the federal government promised 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces federal funding for child-care spaces in British Columbia.

Nearly $70M in federal funding for more child-care spaces in B.C.

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