UVic child care moves to $10/day

Some UVic families are now getting a break on their monthly expenses. The Province of British Columbia has announced that all University of Victoria child care centres have been approved to become $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres starting this past December.

“With $10-a-day child care, students at UVic with young children will be able to focus more on their studies and less on making ends meet,” said Premier David Eby, who visited UVic Child Care with other Members of the Legislative Assembly on Jan. 26. “These parents are now saving up to $976 a month per child, helping them get through school and into their chosen careers with less debt and more opportunity.”

With the new fee structure, UVic families will see their monthly child care fees reduced to no more than $200. It’s a welcome change, particularly now, at a time when many families are struggling with the rising costs of living.

“We’re thrilled to offer this reduced fee structure to students, faculty and staff—improving access to affordable child care for our campus community,” says Elizabeth Croft, Vice-President Academic and Provost. “Thank you to the BC government and others who helped make this program a reality. The lower cost applies to 116 child care spaces at UVic, and we look forward to working with the government on future expansion opportunities as well.”

Spaces at UVic Child Care are focused on meeting the needs of UVic undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, librarians and staff, with students making up the largest contingent. The new $10/day rate is a huge relief for these families, particularly for students facing high inflation rates while studying full-time.

“When I heard the news about the $10 per day child care, I got really surprised because it makes child care really affordable, especially for families like us, who moved to Canada recently,” says Amir Mehdirezaei. Amir came to Canada from Iran last year with his wife and young son to work towards his PhD in Electrical Engineering at UVic.

International students are not eligible for BC’s Affordable Childcare Benefit, so monthly child care fees tend to take even more of a toll. With the new $10/day structure, Amir’s family will have some financial relief, which means he can better focus on his studies.

“Savings like this can cut the pressure on parents so they can spend more time with family, and also provide more opportunities for their child’s learning and development,” he adds. “I really want to thank UVic Child Care for making this happen for our community, and for creating unforgettable moments for our children.”

Because of stories like Amir’s, breaking the $10/day news to current families was a career highlight for UVic Child Care Director Kim Ainsworth. Ainsworth applied for the BC government program in August and has been working diligently to get everything in place for December. “I see how our families are working to make ends meet and I jumped at the chance to make our child care services more affordable,” she says.

 Demand for child care spaces currently exceeds supply—both in Victoria and throughout the province—and the university continues to expand programs and services, with new spaces opening on the Queenswood Campus in fall 2023.

“The new $10/day program won’t yet apply to the new centres, but all of these efforts add up to improved access for our community,” adds Ainsworth. “We will continue to advocate for more affordable child care at UVic and hope that we will be able to offer families at our Queenswood site lowered rates as well.”

Learn more about UVic Child Care