City firms show no interest in child care: Incentives aimed at employers not being used in Kamloops
The Daily News - Kamloops
03 Feb 2007
By: Cam Fortems

The Conservative government promised 25,000 new child-care spaces across Canada, but the largest employers in Kamloops say they have no plans to provide programs for children.

The Daily News surveyed the 10 largest employers in Kamloops to ask how many child-care seats they will provide under the federal program that started in January.

"I'm not aware we're looking at it," said Scott Wright, plant manager for Pollard Banknote in Kamloops, which ranks No. 10 on the list, with 320 employees.

Wright, like many executives of private corporations and public agencies, was not familiar with the federal program....

A spokesperson with Convergys Corp. said she "didn't have information to participate in the story."

A call to Wal-Mart Corp. in Ontario was not returned Friday.

Weyerhaeuser spokesman Lawrence Pillon said the child-care program has not been discussed by senior management and there are no plans to look at it for any Canadian operations.

The final private-sector employer in the top 10, Highland Valley Copper, also has no plans to look at providing child-care spaces for its workforce of 900. Human resources manager Rod Killough said the wages at the mine allow many families to have one parent remain at home.

"It's not been brought to attention as a problem."

Kamloops MP Betty Hinton said Friday she remains hopeful the federal program will create more spaces in Kamloops. She noted successful child-care programs in Montreal started by Pfizer Canada Inc. and L'Oreal Corp.

"I hope they will," she said of local companies creating child-care spaces in Kamloops. "If they don't know about it, we can give them the information. It's been advertised for a year."

Hinton said she asked during a meeting with Kamloops council last month for appointment of a City councillor who could promote benefits and act as a liaison with businesses. In particular she hopes Coun. Tina Lange, a downtown businesswoman, could act in that capacity.

"There will be a lot more information flowing between now and March and it will be helpful to businesspeople."

Jaimie Drew, president of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, said he's not aware of any local businesses looking at the child-care program.

In addition to the five private sector employers in the top 10 are five publicly funded agencies: City of Kamloops, Royal Inland Hospital, School District 73, Overlander Extended Care and Thompson Rivers University.

Only TRU has an existing child-care centre, which it has operated for decades.

Hinton said she's unsure of the details of how, or if, the Tory program would assist public agencies since tax credits would not be applicable.

Randy Diehl, administrator for the City of Kamloops, said starting child-care for City employees was talked about five years ago. But the City doesn't have the resources to offer it.

"We know it wouldn't fly at the municipal level. People should look at private sector options."

Diehl noted provision of child care is typical of companies included in Maclean's Magazine Top 100 employers ranking.

"We're just not in a position to do that."