The Corporation of the City of Nelson Request to Appear As a Delegation
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THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NELSON REQUEST TO APPEAR AS A DELEGATION DATE: August 12, 2019, Regular TOPIC: Affordable Child Care - $10aday Plan PROPOSAL: Recommend that the Province Consider the $10aday Plan PROPOSED BY: Staff _____________________________________________________________________ ANALYSIS SUMMARY: At the June 24, 2019 Committee of the Whole, Heather Broad and Sarah Emily Kozlowksi presented with regard to the state of child care in the province and the “$10aday” Plan. The presenters requested that Council support the $10aday Plan. Following the June 24, 2019 presentation, Council referred the matter to staff directing staff to research the matter and to provide Council with additional information. Staff has researched with an eye towards what the provincial government and other municipalities are doing with regard to this initiative. This information is now presented to Council along with a recommended resolution that encourages the provincial government to consider the $10aday Plan. BACKGROUND: The “$10aday” Plan offers solutions to address child care issues and was created by the Early Childhood Educators of BC (ECEBC) and the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC. The Plan identifies three major problems with child care in the province and seeks to solve them. The three problems identified are: the high cost of child care; the lack of licensed child care facilities; and, the low wages paid to early childhood educators. The $10aday Plan proposes solutions to make childcare more affordable, accessible and of higher quality. A copy of the full plan is attached to this report. By way of background, in British Columbia, the Ministry of Children and Family Development administers child care fee subsidies and funds certain service providers. The Ministry also registers early childhood education and funds local child care resources and referral programs. Currently, British Columbia does not have a coordinated child care system and providers operate independently and have to navigate through provincial and municipal rules. Notably, the Province has recognized these deficits and many of the problems identified by the $10aday Plan and has recently taken concrete action to begin addressing these problems. Specifically, the Province recently announced expanded investment in the child care sector totaling $1 billion over three years. This includes $237 million to implement “universal child care”, including funding the creation of 22,000 new licensed child care spaces. This is the biggest commitment to child care in British Columbia’s history and lays the foundation for universal child care province-wide. The Province’s intends to move from the current patchwork of programs and services towards universal child care that is affordable and available for any family that wants or needs it. The Province’s plan to meet these lofty goals is titled “The Path to Universal Childcare” and is attached to this report. The expanded investment from the province is encouraging for the $10aday Plan organizers. However, advocates of the $10aday Plan would like to see the funds allocated to address the specific issues set out in their Plan. Accordingly, the campaign organizers have been encouraging local governments across British Columbia to publicly endorse and support their Plan. Thus far, 59 municipal councils have formally resolved to support the campaign. Additionally, the local governments throughout the province have taken the following actions to address the issues raised by the campaign: - Kamloops applied for and received a $25,000 provincial grant to assess child-care spaces and reports that City staff will be engaging local child-care providers on the issue. Kamloops Council unanimously voted to support the $10aDay Child Care Initiative and provided a letter of support. - The City of Nanaimo, District of Lantzville, City of Parksville, Town of Qualicum Beach and the Regional District of Nanaimo announced a partnership to study child care needs. UBCM provided a $125,000 grant to assess existing child care spaces and identify how many additional spaces are needed and will be needed in the future. The funding comes from the $3 million community child care planning program, a partnership between the provincial government and UBCM that began in fall of 2018. - The City of Penticton has endorsed the provincial $10aDay Child Care Initiative. At the regular council meeting on June 18, Council unanimously voted to send a letter of support to the provincial NDP government in relation to its planned universal child care program. The provincial government launched a pilot program in November 2018 with 53 participating daycares across the province which models the cost for parents at $200 per month per child. Penticton’s Kinderplace OSNS Child and Youth Development Centre is one of the participating daycares. The program is expected to run until March 31, 2020. BENEFITS OR DISADVANTAGES AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS: Resolving to formally endorse the $10aday Plan, as requested, would not require the City to incur any expense or allocate staff resources. While simply supporting the Plan is only a small gesture, it is the action requested by the plan organizers, and would make Nelson the 60th local government in the province to do so. At the same time, Council may want to be sensitive to the fact that the provincial government has taken concrete action to begin addressing British Columbia’s childcare needs by allocating funding and putting forward a detailed and comprehensive plan of its own that addresses many of the issues the $10aday Plan identifies. Simply endorsing the $10aday plan without acknowledging the province’s significant efforts may send the wrong message. Rather, Council may want to consider passing a resolution that endorses the province’s efforts and encourages the province to consider the specific proposals in the $10aday Plan. LEGISLATIVE IMPACTS, PRECEDENTS, POLICIES: It is within Council mandate and authority to resolve to support the $10aday plan if it so chooses. Council is also free to consider alternative resolutions, such as the resolution proposed by staff. COSTS AND BUDGET IMPACT - REVENUE GENERATION: There is no cost associated with passing a resolution supporting a childcare plan. IMPACT ON SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES AND STAFF RESOURCES Affordable and acceptable childcare is identified as an objective of the “Healthy Living and Social Well-Being” focus area in Nelson’s Path to 2040 Sustainability Strategy. COMMUNICATION The organizers from the campaign recently followed up with staff to request that the City of Nelson become the 60th local government in British Columbia to adopt a resolution supporting the campaign. The organizers will be advised of any Council action taken on this matter. OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES: 1. Formally endorse the $10aday plan and provide the campaign organizers with a letter of support 2. Endorse the provincial plan and recommend that the province consider some of the specific proposals in the $10aday plan 3. Do not endorse the $10aday plan 4. Refer to staff with other direction ATTACHMENTS: - List of municipalities, regional districts and various organizations that have endorsed the $10aday Plan - $10aday Plan document and policy briefing document - Provincial Plan – Childcare BC Path to Universal Childcare RECOMMENDATION: That Council passes the following resolution: THAT the City of Nelson supports British Columbia’s plan entitled “Child Care B.C. Caring for Kids, Lifting Up Families: The Path to Universal Child Care” and recommends that British Columbia fully consider the recommendations from the $10aDay Plan and adopt them as it deems appropriate. AUTHOR: REVIEWED BY: _______________________________ ___________________________ DEPUTY CORPORATE OFFICER CITY MANAGER 7/17/2019 Endorse the Plan - 10 a Day Child Care Endorse the Plan Since its release, the $10aDay Child Care Plan has been enthusiastically endorsed and supported by a growing number of individuals and organizations across the province. Local governments, Boards of Education, Labour, Business, Community Service, Women’s and Advocacy Groups understand that the Plan oers a ‘made in BC’ solution to the child care crisis facing families with young children today. If you belong to or know about an organization that would be interested in endorsing the $10aDay Plan please complete the form on the left. We can also send you a suggested motion of support. We will be happy to add your organization’s name to our growing list of supporters! Municipal Governments and Governmental Organizations ECD and Child Care Organizations Labour Organizations Education Sector Community, Service, Advocacy and Women’s Organizations Health Sector Business Support Academic Support Political Support https://www.10aday.ca/endorse 1/17 7/17/2019 Endorse the Plan - 10 a Day Child Care Governmental Organizations Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District Cariboo Regional District City of Burnaby City of Campbell River City of Colwood City of Courtenay City of Cranbrook City of Dawson Creek City of Duncan – Council minutes City of Fort St. John City of Kamloops City of Langley City of Nanaimo – Council minutes City of New Westminster – Council minutes City of North Vancouver City of Penticton City of Port Alberni City of Port Coquitlam Finance and Intergovernmental Committee City of Port Moody City of Powell River City of Prince George City of Richmond City of Salmon Arm City of Surrey City of Terrace City of Vancouver City of Vernon City of Victoria City of White