BC has already laid the groundwork for a universal, affordable childcare system that ensures equitable access for all families. Now we need to make sure it reaches every family who needs it.  

BC‘s $10-a-day childcare system — and the deep equity measure already built into it through the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) — has the power to break the cycle of poverty for the lowest-income families in BC. But right now, it is not reaching the families who need it most. We are calling on the Province to build on the equitable measures already in place — and make childcare work for everyone. 

Our Research 

Our findings are clear and compelling: access to zero-fee childcare is life-changing for families in poverty — and it is in reach. But too many are still being shut out. 

Our Making Mothers Matter research, published in our A Whole Life report, tells a tale of two childcare systems in BC. For lone mothers and low-income families who can access a $10-a-day space, the difference is profound: greater economic stability, reduced reliance on gig work, improved health and wellbeing, and better outcomes for their children. Our research participants praised the quality of care and the impact on their children's development. 

But our data also reveals an alarming gap. The existing network of spaces has proven inequitable, inaccessible, and incomplete for the low-income families who need it most. Long waitlists, uneven implementation, and not enough spaces mean zero-fee childcare is not reaching Black and racialized, Indigenous, newcomer, and lone-mother households disproportionately impacted by poverty. 

A universal $10-a-day childcare system with zero-fee access for low-income families is one of the most powerful economic inclusion and poverty reduction tools we have.  

Poverty is not a personal failure. It is the preventable result of policy choices in BC — and it can be undone by them. Childcare is a policy choice that can make economic participation possible. For families living in poverty — the majority of whom are lone mothers — zero-fee childcare is the difference between being locked out of the labour market and having a real path to economic security. 

Our Champions 

Designed for Equity is led by a team of eight Equitable Child Care Champions — all parents, and largely lone-mothers, directly impacted by poverty and the need for accessible, affordable childcare in BC. Together, they are scaling community leadership and building a network of lone-mother and gender-diverse advocates supported by our Regional Impact Committees across BC. 

Take Action 

In February 2026, the Province paused growth of its $10-a-day childcare system, putting its longstanding promise of universal $10-a-day childcare at serious risk — and leaving the lowest-income families at even greater risk of being left behind. 

But the Province also put equity on the record in its budget announcement, publicly committing to "work to bring more equity into the system" during the pause. CFE is holding the Province to that commitment. 

This is the moment to act. Add your voice. Send a letter to the Province today urging them to maintain and expand zero-fee childcare for the lowest-income families in BC — and make childcare work for everyone.