Budget consultation report falls short: BC needs to invest in social services infrastructure
BCGEU
November 21, 2008

The Finance Committee recommendations for the next BC budget have some promising ideas, but fall short overall, according to BCGEU President Darryl Walker.

President Walker was responding to a summary report on public consultations held throughout the fall, which was submitted to the minister of finance earlier this week. ….

But he expressed concern that many of the recommendations did not go far enough. "How can there be no recommendation to invest more in child care?"

The committee's only recommendation on child care was for a study of waitlists: "We don't need more studies. British Columbians want expanded investment in child care now," Walker said.

The BCGEU submission to the budget consultation outlined the importance of investing in both home support and child care, as well as other social services.

"We told the committee that the best way to address the current economic climate and the needs of British Columbians, is to prioritize investment in public infrastructure, including important social service infrastructure," Walker said.

He added that investing in services not only creates jobs, but helps reduce inequities and protects those most vulnerable in any economic downturn. The proven returns of social service investment should be especially attractive to government now, as financial markets are currently plagued with such high levels of uncertainty.

Studies show that investing in quality universal child care, for example, pays for itself many times over, by dramatically reducing other social services costs over the long run. Investing in child care has the added benefit of enabling more parents to participate in the workforce, boosting employment, incomes, and revenue for the government in the form of more tax-paying workers. Experts figure the long-term returns on child care investment are at least seven to one.

"Its hard to beat that kind of return," said Walker. "Plus, the need for child care is so high right now. We have to address the needs of families facing long wait times and fees that are too high. We also have to think of the needs of child care workers and providers, who are increasingly being forced to walk away from the field, it is so starved of operating funding."….