Parents in Fernwood have something to celebrate.
The daycare centre at the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group is one of the 53 childcare centres in the province selected for a $10-a-day childcare pilot project.
Since Nov. 1, each child currently enrolled at the daycare will cost parents a maximum of $200 per month for full-time childcare service, saving more than $800 a month in costs.
“Everyone has been really, really excited and positive,” said Jenna Lang, administrative co-ordinator at Fernwood Neighbourhood Childcare. “One person said that having this $10-a-day childcare is making it so that they don’t have to worry about what to do for food.”
READ MORE: 53 B.C. daycares move to $10-a-day pilot
The facility’s out-of-school care program is also eligible, with most families now paying $140 per month.
Families at Fernwood are still eligible for the Affordable Child Care Benefit subsidy, which means some parents are paying zero dollars for their child’s care.
“I think it’s just going to be really freeing for them,” Lang said. “There’s an increase in extra income that’s not being used, especially for families with multiple kids in care.”
The facility will receive government funding to cover their operational and administrative costs as part of the $60 million put aside for the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada.
READ MORE: B.C. to create 3,800 childcare spaces within two years
Each of the selected daycares will also receive a one-time quality improvement grant in 2019 to help enhance their programs, though at this point Fernwood Neighbourhood Childcare does not yet know the sum they will receive.
The pilot project will run until March 31, 2020.
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