Surrey Families Need Access to Affordable Child Care
NDP news
March 28, 2008

SURREY – New Democrat child care critic Claire Trevena took the child care initiative, Raising B.C., to Surrey yesterday.

“Surrey continues to undergo the fastest population growth in the province and access to all types of child care is extremely difficult for parents in the community,” said Trevena, the MLA for North Island.

Trevena's first stop was at the Kla-how-eya Aboriginal Centre.

“Kla-how-eya is a strong example of a drop-in program that is committed to child development and parental support,” said Trevena. “However, our province is in great need of accessible and affordable, quality child care for full-time working parents.

"Kla-how-eya recognizes the demand for full-time child care for working aboriginal families. However, they're not equipped to meet those needs on a full-time basis," said Trevena.

Trevena continued Raising B.C. with a visit to the local Child Care Resource and Referral Centre (CCRR) where she heard from staff about the pressures around child care in the Surrey area.

“Staff at the CCRR say the biggest issue facing child care today is attracting and retaining qualified staff to a field that is generally underpaid,” said Trevena.

“The more I travel the province, the more I hear from working parents on the stresses of accessing affordable and quality care for their children,” said Trevena.

“B.C. parents have every right to be upset with the current state of child care – the question is, will this government start listening, take action and invest in B.C.’s future today?”….