Minister tours local child-care projects
The Daily News -- Kamloops
14 Jun 2007
By: Catherine Litt
EXCERPT

Two child-care projects under construction in Kamloops got a visit Wednesday from Linda Reid, B.C.'s minister of state for child care....

Children's Circle Day Care Society spokeswoman Vi-Anne Zirnhelt was pleased with the visit. Zirnhelt is the president-elect of the Early Childhood Educators of B.C., whose goal over the coming months is to encourage onsite tours of more centres.

"We're trying to help government understand," said Zirnhelt.

"That's exactly what we want to do, is keep them apprised of what is going on in the field through meeting with them and those kinds of things. Rather than take an adversarial position we want to work with government."

There are several issues facing the child-care industry, not the least of which are provincial funding cuts that take effect July 1 -- the equivalent of a $2-$4 drop in funding per child for licensed facilities.

About 140 Kamloops child-care providers are affected.

Zirnhelt's centre is having to raise its fees by $100 a month for children enrolled full time.

And then there's the issue of a dwindling labour pool for early childhood educators, said Zirnhelt.

The industry is losing workers because of low wages.

"What we're saying is that an entry-level early childhood educator should be starting at $20 an hour," said Zirnhelt.

"So in order for that to happen, we need the assistance of government."