Audit finds no co-ordination on the implementation of B.C. child-care promises

The number of child-care spaces in B.C. has been growing for the past few years, which is great for parents and their kids, but an audit says the government hasn’t done the work to ensure health authorities license these new spaces, investigate them, and make sure they are following the rules. 

“We found that the Ministry of Education and Child-care had not worked effectively with its health partners to see that child-care licensing capacity had increased, to support the growth of child-care spaces,” said Shiela Dodds, acting auditor general of B.C.

Dodds adds the ministry did not document its expectations, establish timelines or targets, or clarify how it would secure funding to expand capacity at health authorities like Vancouver Coastal Health, which are responsible for licensing child-care spaces.

In a statement, Minister Lisa Beare tells CityNews that licensed child-care spaces have grown to over 159,000 since 2018, but Sharon Gregson, spokesperson with the $10 A Day Child-care Campaign, says licensing officers are critical to making those spaces available.

“Parents on waiting lists could be waiting much longer than necessary if the regional health authorities don’t have the capacity, the licensing officers, to actually get those new spaces open,” Gregson said.

“This report today from the auditor general is one more indicator that government has stalled on this file, is not thinking systemically about the child-care system that families need to rely on that gives kids quality, that respects educators as professionals, and that supports the economy so that parents can go to work,” she added.

In a statement, Beare said she appreciates the efforts of the auditor general and the audit.

“It is crucial that families know their child care centre is a safe place for children to grow and learn,” Beare stated.

“Since our government launched the ChildCareBC plan in 2018, the Province has invested $5.4 billion to build a future where access to child care is a core service that families can rely on,” she added.

“The Ministry of Education and Child Care has accepted all recommendations. We are working with the Ministry of Health to ensure Health Authorities, who oversee child care licensing, can keep up with the demand of new and existing licensed child care spaces.

“I am committed to ensuring that the families who are attending any of the over 159,000 licensed child care spaces in B.C. have the peace of knowing that their child care centre meets licensing regulations, is regularly monitored, and any issues are quickly corrected.”

The auditor general also investigated Vancouver Coastal Health as part of the report, and that health authority agreed to recommendations as well.