Only in BC: Child Care Crisis in Context and New On-line Petition

The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada have released a joint document outlining the how BC stands alone among provinces in making cuts to child care and in the handling of the remaining federal child care agreement dollars.

• Only BC made substantial cuts to child care programs in the last 5 years
• Only BC says they have to spend remaining federal funds by March 31, 2007
• Only BC, with the second highest provincial surplus, has announced cuts to child care
• Only BC ignored the option of spreading federal funds to future years to support child care
• Only BC is making children, families and front line workers pay the price
  

The Coalition calls upon the support of friends and allies across the country to tell their Premiers that:

1. They need to let Gordon Campbell know that his actions undermine every province’s ability to build a system for all of Canada's children
2. With or without federal funds, the provinces are accountable for building a system
3. If they follow BC’s lead and cut child care, they will face the same community outrage.

The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada continues to call upon the federal government to:

1. Restore, increase and sustain dedicated annual child care transfer payments to the provinces and territories
2. Develop a focused investment strategy – working with provinces and territories, implement a public policy, funding and accountability mechanisms that will build a comprehensive system of child care services.

The federal government completed 2005/06 with a $13 billion surplus. Most provinces and territories are also in surplus. There is no excuse for inaction; investment in quality, universal child care services is a social and economic imperative for Canada.

The Association further calls upon all Premiers to:

1. Pressure the federal government to restore $1.2 billion in dedicated child care transfer payments in the upcoming 2007/08 federal budget
2. Make a long-term commitment to build comprehensive early learning and child care systems in your jurisdictions – with provincial/territorial and federal dollars – so that children, families and communities don’t pay the price for the federal government’s unilateral actions
3. Work together to ensure that Canada’s children receive the best possibly early start that we can give them.
   

Read full joint document (pdf).

Sign the new on-line petition.