Part 1: What Is $10 a Day ChildCareBC, and How Does a Centre Get Into the Program?

If you've heard people talking about "$10-a-day daycare" in BC and wondered how it actually works, here's the short version: it's a real program, but it only applies at specific, selected centres — not everywhere.

$10 a Day ChildCareBC is one of the province's core initiatives to make child care more affordable. At participating centres, families pay no more than $200 a month per child for full-time care, regardless of household income — the fee cap applies to everyone at that location, not just lower-income families.

A few important things to understand about how it works:

• Providers apply to join, not families. Child care providers apply to become a $10 a Day ChildCareBC centre; families don't submit any application to access the rate. If your child is enrolled at a participating centre, the reduced fee is simply what you're charged.
• It's based on capacity and waitlists. Access depends on that specific location's licensed capacity and waitlist — so being a $10-a-day site doesn't mean unlimited spots.
• Participation is voluntary. Providers choose to join, agree to the program's funding model, and can leave voluntarily. If a provider does leave the program, families at that location return to the centre's previous fee structure.
• Waitlists are managed locally. Each provider manages their own waitlist and enrollment process, so it's worth contacting your preferred provider directly to understand how they handle openings.

If you're trying to find a $10-a-day space for your family, your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) centre is a great starting point — they can help you understand what's available in your area and how local waitlists work. And if you're a certified Responsible Adult considering opening your own home daycare, understanding this program is worth it too, since it shapes what families in your area are looking for.