BC NDP promises $80 million for 7,200 new before- and after-school childcare spaces
The BC NDP says it will invest $80 million to add 7,200 before- and after-school spaces on school grounds, and a further $250 million for a broad expansion of subsidised childcare.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on voiceonline.com.
BC NDP leader David Eby announced on October 17 that a re-elected NDP government would invest $80 million to create 7,200 new before- and after-school childcare spaces on school grounds. The party says it would also commit $250 million in new provincial funding to expand universal childcare in a deal with the federal government.
The party published the announcement on October 17, 2026, the same day as advance voting closed. The Indo-Canadian Voice carried the full text.
School spaces
The BC NDP says the $80 million would cover startup costs, renovations, and ongoing operating costs for the 7,200 spaces. Eby is quoted in the party's announcement: "Delivering more spaces in schools will make drop-offs and pick-ups easier, give kids a familiar place to be, and make better use of public facilities."
All 7,200 spaces would be located on existing school grounds, the party says. No construction timeline or district-by-district breakdown appears in the announcement.
Universal childcare expansion
The party says the $250 million would go toward three things: a provincial wage grid for early childhood educators, more affordable spaces, and a hard universal fee cap modelled on Ontario's system. The party says this funding is intended to be matched by the federal government, and that a December 1 deadline exists under the Canada-BC Prosperity Agreement for the two governments to renegotiate their childcare funding deal.
What the party says it has already done
The BC NDP's announcement lists three figures from its time in government. The party says it created 64,000 childcare spaces, a figure it describes as a 50 per cent increase. It says fees fell from an average of $47 per day to $19 per day. It says early childhood educator wages were raised to nearly $30 per hour. These are the party's own numbers, and they have not been independently audited.
Karen Ranalletta, President of CUPE BC, is quoted in the party's announcement in support of the school-based spaces plan. The party's announcement carries no response from BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson to the new spending figures.
What a voter can do
Voting day for the BC provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting ran October 16 to 21. You can compare party platforms, including the BC NDP's childcare commitments, at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp.
Questions this story answers
How much is the BC NDP promising to spend on new school-based childcare spaces?
The BC NDP says it will invest $80 million to create 7,200 before- and after-school spaces on school grounds. According to the party's announcement published October 17, 2026, that funding would cover startup costs, renovations, and ongoing operating costs for the new spaces.
How many childcare spaces would the school-based program create?
The BC NDP says the $80 million investment would create 7,200 before- and after-school spaces on school grounds. The party says the spaces would be located on existing school property to make drop-offs and pick-ups easier for families.
What is the $250 million childcare commitment for?
The BC NDP says it would commit $250 million in new provincial funds to expand universal childcare in partnership with the federal government. According to the party's announcement, the money would go toward improving wages for early childhood educators, expanding affordable spaces, and bringing in a hard, universal fee cap similar to Ontario's.
What does the BC NDP say it has already done on childcare fees?
The BC NDP says average childcare fees have been cut from $47 per day to $19 per day since the party's fee reduction program began. The party says this represents a reduction of more than half, saving families the party puts at about $7,200 a year, a figure it has not published a detailed breakdown for.
How many childcare spaces does the BC NDP say it created in government?
The BC NDP says it created 64,000 new childcare spaces in BC while in government, which the party describes as a 50 per cent increase. This figure comes from the party's own announcement and has not been independently verified.
What does the BC NDP say about childcare worker wages?
The BC NDP says it has boosted hourly wages for early childhood educators to nearly $30 an hour. The party's announcement on October 17, 2026 lists a provincial wage grid for early childhood educators as part of its $250 million childcare commitment.
What did CUPE BC say about the announcement?
Karen Ranalletta, President of CUPE BC, is quoted in the party's announcement saying the BC NDP government took childcare seriously when others would not. Ranalletta said the proposed before- and after-school spaces would mean fewer drop-offs for parents, fewer transitions for kids, and steadier, full-time hours for the education workers who support children during the school day.
Where can voters find more information about the BC provincial election on October 24?
Voters can find information about the October 24, 2026 BC general election at Elections BC at elections.bc.ca. Advance voting ran from October 16 to 21. You can read the BC NDP platform and compare it with other parties at voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Indo-Canadian Voice: BC NDP childcare announcementvoiceonline.com
- Elections BC: Voting informationelections.bc.ca
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