Trudeau met by protests in Surrey

Justin Trudeau was met by protesters on Friday night as he attended a Liberal Party Fundraiser in Surrey.

The Prime Minister says that Canada has come out of the pandemic “financially better” than other G-7 countries.

He also acknowledged, however, the struggle families continue to face with inflation and the rising cost of living.

Trudeau then pointed to the federal government’s agreement with B.C. to cut child-care costs in half.

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Amidst Trudeau’s proclamations, a crowd gathered outside the event in protest, some waving flags with Trudeau’s name and an expletive on it.

Trudeau was in town to meet with Premier David Eby and announce that parents will get a discounted rate for every child they have in a licensed child-care facility.

This Government initiative is expected to save parents as much as $550 per month, per child.

Many B.C. families, however, feel this should have happened sooner.

We know that access to quality, affordable child care unlocks opportunity for families, and it helps build our entire province. Families can now save hundreds of dollars more per month on child care – money they can put use somewhere else they may need it. https://t.co/nKmjdZPFgK pic.twitter.com/DeOuQ4Tdap

— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) December 3, 2022

Alex Taylor, a father of two young children in full-time daycare, for instance, tells CityNews that they were paying $2,300 for both kids — the same as their rent. He said that the new changes will save them $1,000 every month.

“I think we’re going to be able to save for the future and get back to saving for a down payment for when the housing market finally crashes here. If it wasn’t so expensive, my wife might have gone back to work sooner,” he told CityNews.

There are also criticisms surrounding the limited spaces available in the much-debated $10-a-day daycare program, and who gets to benefit from it.

“It’s heartbreaking how many people could really have used that and those people didn’t get it. Meanwhile, it’s just like, luck of the draw, if your daycare center happened to apply for you, good for you. Otherwise, sorry,” Vancouver mom Lyndsay Roberts commented. “It’s mind blowing to me, how many people I know that are struggling financially in this city, and they didn’t get those spots, the $10 a day spots.”

The next set of childcare changes in B.C. is expected to be announced in September 2023, when the provincial government is said to be promising reduced fees for pre-school programs and before- and after-school care.

With files from Sonia Aslam and Liza Yuzda