B.C. throne speech puts all-day kindergarten (aka childcare) on hold
Georgia Straight
Feb 16, 2009
By Pieta Woolley

One year ago, Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point announced in the throne speech that the provincial government was establishing an Early Childhood Learning Agency to look at all-day kindergarten for three-, four-, and five-year-olds.

The optional program for five-year-olds was to be put in place, if approved, by September 2009.

However, during this morning’s throne speech, Point said it’s on hold.

“We had hoped to be in a position to introduce a voluntary all-day kindergarten program for five-year-olds this September,” Point said, speaking on behalf of Premier Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government.

“Regrettably, three factors will delay its introduction. Current economic circumstances, the need to develop appropriate space and the time to recruit qualified educators means it is not feasible in 2009.

“However, government is committed to that vision and will commence creating space and teacher capacity to meet that need as soon as possible.”

Both the provincial and federal governments have a history of introducing great child-care programs for kids before the ruling party is voted out the door.

On June 3, 2004, the federal Liberals announced a $5-billion national child-care program—after more than a decade in office without implementing a significant day-care program.

Then they lost the January 2006 election to the Conservatives, who scrapped the program.

Just before the B.C. NDP lost to the Liberals in May 2001, the governing party introduced $12-a-day childcare—or, about one fifth of what it currently costs. That’s what NDP leader Carole James said in an interview a few months ago.

Now, all-day kindergarten has been delayed—if not lost all together.

In its submission to the consultations leading up to the budget, which will be released tomorrow (February 17), the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C. slammed the B.C. Liberals for failing to invest in a comprehensive child-care program.

“The current crisis is a direct result of failed provincial and federal child care policies. In 2002, the province cut $40 million from its own child care budget—a cut which remains in place to this day. Dedicated child care transfers from the federal government saved child care services in BC from complete collapse, but in 2006 a newly elected federal government cancelled the largest child care transfer agreement,” the submission read.

“BC was the only province to pass the federal cuts onto families and service providers. And, BC was the only province to spend their remaining federal child care funds—close to $100 million—on untendered grants and one time only expenditures. Booster seats, healthy baby DVD’s, home visiting and parenting programs and research on children at risk—none of which helped to strengthen child care services in BC.”

In this year’s throne speech, childcare got one sentence, with no new promises: “Significant increases in child care funding and higher subsidy thresholds have nearly doubled the number of licensed child care spaces receiving subsidies since 2001.”

What will this mean for the May 12 provincial election?

If grandiose child-care promises have historically spelled disaster, the crystal ball says the Liberals are not too worried.