Fee hike at provincially-funded daycare raises questions

When the federal and provincial governments signed abilateral child-care agreementlast month,Burnabyparent Carol Liwas hoping to get a break on the cost of daycare.

Instead, she found outshe will pay more.

The daycare her five-year-old son attends is increasing its fees, despite the government's announcement that child-care providers will receive subsidies ranging $60 to $350 a child to reduce parent fees.

The Lower Mainland Purpose Society sent a letter to parents in February informing them there will be a15 per cent fee hike on April 1 the same day the government's new subsidies will kick in.

"Did the daycare know about this?," asks Li.

The non-profit groupoperates severaldaycaresinBurnabyand New Westminster and receives about $577,000 a year in provincial funding for its daycare programs.

The daycare's executive director DawnEmbreesaid the fee hike isto deal with an ongoing staffing crisis.

"We've been slowly trying to get wages up," said Embree.

She saidthe society's wages are the second lowest in the area, based on research the daycare has done, making it difficult to retain staff.

"The staff situation is getting even worse. So what we needed to do is give a bump up to wages, which is why we had a bigger than usual fee increase for parents," said Embree.

Linow pays $855 a month. Once the daycare's $130 fee hike kicks in, she will pay $980.

But subtractthe provincial subsidyof $100 given to the daycare andLiwill be left paying an extra $25 a month.

No hot lunch, no field trips

She said she is concerned for parents with more than one child and those with younger children, who have to pay higher fees.

"I'm all for increasing the staff wages," said Li, "but what I'm not happy about is what's in it for my child?"

In the past year, Lisaid, the daycare has cut off the hot lunch program and stopped field trips altogether.

Embreesaid some of that is tied to inconsistent staffing, which she hopes will improve once thedaycare secures more staff.

With files from TamaraRahmani.