Vote Vancouver Unveils Childcare Plan: Childcare as an Economic and Social Foundation
Vote Vancouver and mayoral candidate Rebecca Bligh today announced a plan to close Vancouver's childcare gap, built around the levers the City controls directly.
Bligh raised two children as a single parent, so she knows firsthand the pressure childcare puts on parents and caregivers. After housing, childcare is the biggest cost most Vancouver families face.
"When I was raising my two kids, childcare cost me about as much as housing did, and for too many families in Vancouver that's still true today," said Bligh. "It starts at home: the City has to make childcare a priority in everything we build and use every lever we have to create more spaces. From there, I'll work with the Province, Ottawa and our regional partners to expand $10-a-day childcare and distribute it where families need it, in Vancouver and across the region."
Childcare is Economic Policy
When childcare costs as much as a paycheque, many parents, most often mothers, leave the workforce. That means lost income for families, more financial strain, and fewer workers for local businesses. Affordable, available childcare keeps parents working and keeps Vancouver's economy strong.
Childcare is Social Policy
Every family deserves to know their child is in safe, quality care close to home, whatever their income or neighbourhood. Childcare supports early learning, single and working parents, and newcomers building a life here.
The City is Falling Behind
The 2023–2026 Capital Plan identified approximately $119 million for childcare. The 2027–2030 Capital Plan includes less than $4 million in direct City funding, a reduction of more than 95 per cent at a time when families need more spaces, not fewer. Vote Vancouver will review the Capital Plan and restore childcare as a core City investment.
Vote Vancouver Commits To:
Close the gap with a real target. Set a space-creation target tied to the City's estimated shortfall of about 4,200 spaces. Every year, report publicly on spaces built, spaces still needed, and the investment plan to finish the job.
Build childcare into everything we build.
Include not-for-profit childcare in every new public-land housing development, and in community centres, libraries and major redevelopments.
Use development contributions to fund new spaces.
Audit unused City-owned buildings for spaces that can open without new construction.
Work with faith-based organizations to include childcare in their new developments, and prioritize these applications.
Champion $10-a-day. Work with the Province and partners across the region to expand $10-a-day childcare and distribute spaces effectively, in Vancouver and throughout Metro Vancouver. Make sure every City-built or City-owned facility is ready to join the program.
Cut red tape for operators. Fast-track permits and reduce fees for licensed childcare, especially for small and home-based operators who can open spaces quickly.
Partner with schools. Work with the Vancouver School Board to:
Bring before- and after-school care to the 15 elementary schools that don't have it, and expand spaces where it already exists, so families of children up to age 12 aren't left out.
Offer pre-kindergarten care in school facilities during the school day, in partnership with childcare providers.
Extend care to Pro-D days and summer breaks using existing buildings.
Support the workforce. Advocate with senior governments for better wages for early childhood educators, and explore ways to help ECEs afford to live in the city where they work.
About Vote Vancouver
Vote Vancouver is proudly centrist and pragmatic. We believe decisions should be guided by evidence, common sense, fiscal responsibility and what actually works. Vancouverites deserve a government that listens, brings people together and focuses on results.
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