When John Rustad was last in government, child care costs were growing at three times the rate of inflation. Today he revealed he wants to take people back and leave families paying more.

David Eby and the BC NDP have put in place direct supports for families that reduce monthly fees by between $545 and $900 every month. Rustad’s child care scheme would scrap this program, costing families up to $900 dollars more a month in exchange for a promise of tax cuts with no details and no funding.

Rustad was joined by Gavin Dew, candidate for Kelowna-Mission, who has opposed limits on child care fee increases for providers receiving government funding to no more than 3% per year. Rustad’s plan to remove “regulatory barriers” would open the door to runaway fee increases that would add hundreds of dollars in new costs.

He also repeatedly refused to answer questions about whether his plan would move towards more unlicensed child care - putting safety and quality at risk for families, as well.

David Eby and the BC NDP have a plan for child care. ChildCareBC has successfully reduced fees for all parents by 50%, created over 37,000 more licensed child care spaces, and is helping more than 150,000 families across the province save money.

Grace Lore, BC NDP Candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill:

“Rustad is a risk we simply can’t afford. We’ve built new spaces while cutting child care costs in half and saving families hundreds of dollars every month. Rustad would do exactly what he did last time he was in government; reduce supports, drive up costs, and make child care a luxury only a few can afford.”