Can the political parties vying to run our provincial government solve the daycare crisis? Each has its own platform and plans for solving the problem:
• The BC Liberals have pledged to increase spaces by 5,000 this year for a total of 13,000 spaces by 2020.
• The NDP would adopt the $10-a-day plan proposed by daycare advocates and roll it out over a number of years, starting with infant and toddler care.
• And the Greens would provide free daycare for children under three as well as provide 25 hours of preschool for three- and four-year-olds plus up to $500 monthly support for parents who stay at home (taxed back at higher income levels).
All of these proposals come with a price tag and of all of them have their pros and cons. Not one, however, addresses the immediate problem of a daycare shortage in the Tri-Cities, a situation that has been a problem for some time.
It’s time for an immediate infusion of cash to get daycares in areas such as the Tri-Cities that need them now.
