The campaign for a $10-a-day daycare system in B.C. came to 91原创 Township council鈥檚 March 11 meeting.

鈥淭his plan is the solution to the child care crisis,鈥� said Sharon Gregson of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates

The coalition plan would levy a $10 user fee on families making at least $40,000 while families making less would not pay.

Government would subsidize the rest of the cost.

She dismissed the $55 a month B.C. Early Childhood Tax Benefit announced in the last provincial budget as insufficient when some families are paying more than that for daycare every day.

鈥淯nless you鈥檙e very rich or very lucky鈥� it is very hard for a family to find affordable daycare, Gregson said.

Some B.C. parents are paying as much as $1,900 a month, she added.

鈥淚t [daycare] is on the political agenda,鈥� Gregson said.

鈥淪adly, it didn鈥檛 translate into anything concrete.鈥�

Gregson noted other communities like Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster and West Vancouver have already endorsed the coalition campaign.

The proposal would shift the responsibility for early child care onto the provincial education budget.

In response to a question from councillor Charlie Fox, Gregson said the plan is not intended to add responsibility for daycare to existing schools, but to better co-ordinate child care efforts between the two.

During a June presentation in Qualicum Beach, Gregson argued the Quebec experience proves such a plan will more than pay for itself in spin-off economic benefits.

That鈥檚 because by making daycare affordable, more Quebec women were able return to the workforce, paying income taxes that increased government revenue.

As well, Gregson said, there would be more early childhood workers who would also buy things.

- with files from Neil Horner 鈥�

Parksville Qualicum Beach News