Child-care supporters keep up the fight
Trail Daily Times
02 Apr 2007
By: Raymond Masleck

Child-care workers and clients took to the streets again Friday in their ongoing battle with the province over funding.

"We are just going to keep it up," said Sue McIntosh, director of the Child Care Referral Centre....

Day-care centres have just received half of the $40 million in one-time funding the province announced recently, but what they really need is stable and improved funding, McIntosh said.

"It was a nice little shot in the arm, but that's the kind of ongoing money that is needed."

The Sunshine Children's Centre is facing an $18,000 cut in its basic provincial grant this year. With wages running at $13 an hour and no benefits, the centre doesn't have any room to make up the money, McIntosh said.

"They are going to have to raise their fees or close."

But more spaces and more affordable day care are needed, not fewer spaces and higher fees, she noted.

"We have so many young families moving into our area. We have four or five referrals a day. There are lots of jobs but no day care. Sunshine has a waiting list of 84 children."

With 44 per cent of B.C. employers reporting labour shortages, day care is not just a social service but issue in terms of the provincial economy, she indicated.