VICTORIA, B.C.: Heather Maahs, MLA for Chilliwack North and Conservative Critic for Childcare and Early Childhood Education, released the following statement regarding the closure of three childcare centres in British Columbia:

“The NDP’s ideology is getting in the way of delivering affordable, accessible childcare for British Columbia families who need it most.

“After spending millions of taxpayer dollars on a childcare model that has increasingly sidelined private operators, the cracks in the government’s plan are becoming impossible to ignore.

“For decades, small business childcare providers and community operators have delivered more than half of the daycare spaces in British Columbia. Many of these providers served families long before the government became involved in childcare expansion.

“Instead of working with all providers to increase access to childcare, the NDP chose to prioritize a government-directed system that is now struggling to deliver the results families were promised.

“We have watched the government quietly walk away from its flagship $10-a-day childcare promise. First, it was ‘paused,’ then it was ‘replaced.’ Regardless of the wording, the reality for many parents remains the same: long waitlists, limited access, and rising uncertainty.

“British Columbians recently learned that three childcare centres are closing because they are no longer financially sustainable under the current funding model. These closures should serve as a warning sign that the system is not working as intended.

“BC Conservatives have repeatedly called on the NDP government to properly assess where childcare funding is going and whether the current system is actually delivering affordable, accessible spaces for families. Instead of continuing to pour money into a model that is clearly struggling, the government should reevaluate its approach and work with all childcare providers to expand access for parents and children across British Columbia.

“Families do not care whether childcare is delivered by a public, non-profit, or private provider. They care about whether they can access affordable childcare in their community.

“We should support parents, not bureaucracies. Funding should follow the child, allowing families to access care where it works best for them, while empowering all qualified providers — public, not-for-profit, and private — to help meet demand.”

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Media Contact:
Francesca Guetchev, Press Secretary
Francesca.Guetchev@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-0948