CRANBROOK -- All has been relatively quiet on the child care front since earlier this year when the East Kootenay Child Care Resource and Referral Centre(EK CCRR) was in danger of closing and Minister of State for Child Care Linda Reid informed those in the child care community that current funding levels would only be maintained until July 1.

After July 1 most child care funding rates will go down but there is one ray of sunshine within that news. Reid announced yesterday that the province is increasing child care funding rates for children between the ages of zero and 35 months.

The reduction in original funding is a result of the federal government withdrawing from the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) agreement.

"The cancellation of the Early Learning and Child Care agreement resulted in a loss for the province of $455 million over three years," said East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett. "People ask why we didn't give parents for all aged kids more money, well that would be nice. I'd like to do that and I know our government would like to do that too.

"Governments have to prioritize though and the pot's got a bottom, Bennett said."

Bennett said they have focused the increase in funding on the youngest kids because studies show that is when it is most important for them to have quality child care.

Rita Romeo, program coordinator at the EK CCRR, said the funding increase is a bonus for parents with kids that age as well as child care providers.

"I think it's definitely a bonus for the licensed group and licensed family daycare providers because they are actually going to be getting more than they were getting," she said. "This is quite a considerable jump so it's one piece of good news."

For parents and providers with kids older than three years though the funding rates will go down, starting in July. The average is about $2 per day or $40 per month.

"This is going to hurt everyone over the age of 35 months and the other facilities because they are still getting cuts and it will still affect the parent fees because their fees will probably go up," Romeo said. "Rates have been pretty steady over the past few years. We've talked to a few child care providers in the past little while and definitely fees are going up and it's got to come from someone and that will be the parents."

With child care fees possibly going up Romeo said the $100 from the federal government will be even more inadequate. Parents are having trouble getting their kids into child care though, never mind paying for it.

Currently there are about three child care spaces available in Cranbrook and about 30 people on different wait lists.

"There is a possibility that a few more facilities will be opening but not enough to cover what has been lost over the past two years," she said. "We'll never get up to those numbers again."

Parents looking for care can go to the EK CCRR for tips on finding someone who can provide child care. The EK CCRR is located at 20 B 12 Ave. N. and its phone number is 426-5677.

A lack of qualified early childhood educators is contributing to the low number of spaces available. Pay for child care workers is low so if new facilities were to open there might not be people to work at them.

"This last year I know there were only a handful of people who graduated from the program at our local college," Romeo said. "It comes down to that professionalism and the lower wages that make people think to go down other avenues where they can get more money. It's not like they're not there for the children but when you have a family to support...

"If people do have issues or concerns they need to contact their MLA or a government body," Romeo recommended. "If they don't hear from the providers and the parents then they really don't know what's going on."