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Plan to improve childcare won't follow Quebec model, says BC's Clark

While Premier Christy Clark provided few details on childcare improvements to be included in next week's British Columbia budget, she hinted the funding will not be universal and will be available to people whether or not they work outside the home.

"We are working on a plan that we will present to British Columbians," Clark said today, echoing a commitment included in yesterday's Throne Speech to "improve access and affordability of childcare."

B.C. will not follow the Quebec model where government subsidized daycare is available to anyone for $7 a day, she said.

A B.C. campaign has been promoting a similar program that would provide daycare for $10 a day.

"The Quebec system was very, very expensive and I think many Quebecers are realizing it's not affordable to provide daycare at the same rate universally to people who are very, very wealthy as it is to people who are not so wealthy," said Clark.

Nor is eligibility likely to be determined by whether or not a parent is working. "This is an issue that I think is of vital importance for women, for women who are working and for women who choose to stay home and look after their kids," said Clark.

"All of us are providing childcare in different ways and we're improving our prospects for our children for investing in that," she said.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.


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