Local day cares feeling cuts, but aren't joining day of protest: Some day cares are planning to close Feb. 13 or hold rallies in protest of federal governments decision to cancel agreement
The Northerner
07 Feb 2007
By: Hannah Scissons

Day-care operators in Fort St. John are feeling the pressures from government funding cuts this year, but aren't planning on joining a day of protest scheduled in February.

Some day cares in southern B.C. are planning to close Feb. 13 or hold rallies to draw attention to the decision by the federal government to cancel the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which is costing B.C. $450 million in funding over three years.

That is resulting in a loss of $40 to $100 per child per month to daycares across the province. Most of the day cares in Fort St. John will be raising fees as a result - if they haven't already - but those contacted by the Alaska Highway News said they didn't want to put further hardship on parents by closing for a day during the week.

"I have to be home with the kids. I'm the only one here," said Cindy Lapointe, owner of Little Monkey Daycare, a family day care in Fort St. John. She has her own two children at home, and of the others that she cares for, the first arrives at 5:30 a.m. and the last departs at 6:30 p.m., so she doesn't have time to take off for a protest.

In order to deal with the funding cuts this winter, Lapointe has had the parents start supplying meals and snacks for their children, so that she didn't have to raise rates. She said she didn't want to have to charge the parents more because she's known many of them for a long time.

At the Lollipop Child Care Centre, fees are going to be going up in June to make up for the funding shortfall, said owner Charlene Gifford. But she wasn't planning on taking part in the protest.

"There is a need (for funding) but it is such a disruption for parents, I don't think I would close the centre to protest," she said.

Instead of funding the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which had been worked out by the former federal Liberal government, the Conservatives opted to bring in the Universal Child Care Benefit of $100 per month per each child under six years old, starting in July 2006.

However, Gifford said that $100 quickly gets eaten up for parents with children in day care.

Clover Barnes, president of the board of directors for Oscare, said she wished the government had maintained funding for day cares rather than cutting cheques.

"They give it to you with one hand and take it away with another," she said. The board at Oscare hasn't made a decision about their fees yet, Barnes said, but they would be reviewing them because the day care can't swallow the cut. She didn't think protesting would help.

"What can we do? We've done that many times, protests, and writing letters, and we haven't gotten anywhere," she said.