The B.C. Conservatives attacked NDP Leader David Eby over the weekend for benefiting from the province’s now-paused $10-a-day child care program. Eby was asked about his family’s daycare arrangements at a campaign event Sunday, and confirmed they use a facility that is subsidized “I don’t want to reveal where my kids go to daycare. But yes,” Eby said, seemingly taken aback by the question. The B.C. Conservatives immediately issued a statement questioning why Eby’s “wealthy family” has one of these coveted spots. “David Eby looks after David Eby first. Parents struggling to afford child care deserve a premier who fixes the problem instead of one who works the system for his own family,” a statement from the party said. The $10-a-day child-care program is not one a family has to apply for, and spots are not allocated based on income—instead, the rate is tied to the facility or provider. As part of the most recent budget, enrollment in the program was halted so it could be “stabilized.” Eby issued a statement in response, explaining the daycare one of his children was enrolled in was added to the $10-a-day provider list. “When that occurred, we chose as a family to make a donation to that excellent facility. We felt that we did not need that discount and we wanted to make sure that the childcare centre could provide other supports for families in the community,” Eby wrote. “We will be making a similar donation to the childcare centre for our youngest child who attends the same facility.” The B.C. NDP also issued a statement touting the party’s progress on child care affordability while in government, saying fees have come down by 50 per cent since 2017, which has led to average savings of roughly $500 per month for families.
