Childcare and the Economy
The lack of affordable,
government-regulated child care spaces in Greater Victoria is having a direct impact on employers, workers and our economy.
In the
September Business Matters The Chamber highlighted the
key issues (affordability, availability and quality) and what the provincial government can do to improve the situation.
On a local level the City of Victoria is sufficiently concerned about the problem to have an ongoing working group that includes The Chamber, trying to come up with solutions.
"We're convening all interested parties, along with non-profit daycare operators, at one table to address child care both for the economy and for the children of the city," stated Mayor Lisa Helps. "Coverage is terrible and the city and the number of families in it are growing. We need to make it better if we want to keep the city liveable."
However, the problem can't be solved without a credible level of federal investment.
"Canada finishes a shameful dead last in federal funding for child care among 20 developed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)," said Chamber CEO Catherine Holt. "We spend $82 a year per child, the US spends about $150 and the median is almost $300."
If childcare is affecting your business please contact us by
email or call 250-383-7191.
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