COQUITLAM, B.C. — Premier John Horgan says support in the budget for child care is among the first steps towards the NDP's promise of a $10-a-day program.
He says starting April 1, monthly fees for children in licensed child-care centres will drop by as much as $350.
The fee reduction is available to families with children up to kindergarten age who go to licensed child care and whose providers opt into the program.
Horgan says the government's $1 billion, three-year plan to build a universal child-care system announced last month aims to create more than 22,000 new licensed child-care spaces and cuts costs for up to 86,000 families.
But he says there could be growing pains along the way, which is why the government recently extended the deadline to April 20 for child-care operators to sign up for the program.
The minister responsible for child care, Katrina Chen, says providers have applied for the fee reductions for more than 18,000 children.
