BC NDP and Conservatives exchange criticism over affordable daycare

Both parties are raising questions about the future of affordable child care in BC, as families continue to face challenges accessing subsidized spaces.

BC’s $10-a-day child care program has become the latest point of contention in the provincial election campaign, with the BC NDP and BC Conservatives exchanging accusations over affordability, access and the future of government subsidies.

In separate statements issued Monday, October 12th, the Conservatives criticized Premier David Eby for accessing subsidized child care for his own family, while the NDP questioned whether a Conservative government would maintain existing child care supports.

The dispute comes as families across the province continue to face challenges finding affordable daycare spaces, particularly those offered through the $10-a-day program.

Conservatives question Eby’s access to subsidized daycare

The Conservative Party of BC issued a statement Monday criticizing Eby after he acknowledged that his family has benefited from the province’s $10-a-day child care program.

Asked by a reporter whether his family had ever used the program, Eby confirmed that it had.

“Yes,” Eby said, according to a transcript provided by the Conservatives.

The party argued that many other BC families have been unable to secure similarly subsidized spaces.

“It’s shocking to learn that while hundreds of thousands of British Columbians are struggling with the most expensive child care in the country, David Eby’s family landed a plum $10-a-day child care spot,” said Margareta Dovgal, the Conservative candidate for Vancouver-Yaletown.

Dovgal also questioned whether the program was reaching families most in need.

“Nobody begrudges David Eby and his wife for their success,” she said.

“What families will not accept is a Premier who promised them $10-a-day child care, failed to deliver it, and then took one of the scarce spots for himself while a single mom working two jobs sits on a waitlist.”

The Conservatives noted that Eby earns more than $227,000 annually as premier and that his wife is a physician.

However, the $10-a-day child care program is not exclusively reserved for lower-income households. Participating spaces are subsidized through government funding, and access is not determined solely by household income.

There is also no evidence presented in the Conservatives’ statement that Eby’s family received preferential treatment when obtaining a space.

In a statement to Victoria Buzz on Monday, October 12th, Premier David Eby responded to questions surrounding his family’s use of subsidized childcare.

Eby confirmed that his family benefited from the $10-a-day program but explained that they chose to donate money to their childcare centre after it became eligible for the subsidy.

“A couple of years ago, the childcare centre that one of our children was attending was designated as a $10/day site. When that occurred, we chose as a family to make a donation to that excellent facility,” Eby told Victoria Buzz.

“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 also confirmed that his family intends to make a similar donation to the childcare centre currently attended by their youngest child.

The Premier also addressed the future of childcare funding in BC, pointing to ongoing negotiations with the federal government.

“By securing a deal with the Prime Minister, BC and Ottawa will work together to reach a newly negotiated childcare funding agreement with a December 1st deadline,” Eby said.

“My family has benefited from a wonderful local childcare centre and I will keep fighting so that every family benefits from quality childcare across our province.”

The December 1st deadline is part of a broader agreement between BC and Ottawa to renegotiate existing childcare funding commitments.

Eby did not specify the amount of either donation in his statement.

NDP questions Conservative approach to child care

Meanwhile, the BC NDP issued its own statement Monday, focusing on comments made by Conservative child care critic Heather Maahs about government-funded daycare.

The NDP highlighted Maahs’ criticism of the existing system, including her description of $10-a-day daycare as an “abject failure” and a “boondoggle.”

In comments cited by the NDP, Maahs argued that current funding arrangements favour licensed daycare facilities over other forms of child care, including care provided by parents and relatives.

“Why should some families receive thousands of dollars in subsidies while others receive nothing simply because their preferred form of care is not one favoured by government policy?” Maahs said.

“Public policy should not be driven by ideology.”

Maahs also argued that child care policy should recognize the role of parents and support different family arrangements.

“Parents are not secondary participants in their children’s lives. They are primary caregivers. They are the foundation of healthy families and healthy communities,” she said.

The NDP also pointed to comments from Conservative platform chair Gavin Dew, who reportedly said on October 6th that the party had not yet established a child care fee cap.

According to the BC NDP, its existing fee-reduction initiatives have lowered average child care fees by approximately 50%, representing estimated savings of $7,200 annually.

The party warned that removing fee caps or reducing subsidies could increase costs for parents.

However, the Conservatives’ comments about reviewing the current approach do not, on their own, establish that the party intends to eliminate all existing child care subsidies.

What this means for BC families

The exchange comes months after the provincial government announced it would pause enrolment of new providers into the $10-a-day child care program as part of a three-year stabilization plan.

The province said families already enrolled in participating facilities would not see changes to their existing arrangements. Other child care affordability programs would continue.

A September 2026 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that although child care costs have declined across Canada, many BC families continue to pay considerably more than $10 a day.

The report also highlighted significant differences in fees between communities and ongoing challenges with waitlists.

The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC’s $10aDay campaign has raised concerns about both major parties, stating that neither has made a commitment to maintain or expand universal $10-a-day child care during the current election campaign.