The Early Learning and Child Care Act (ELCCA) will come into effect as of September 1, 2024. In addition, enhanced supports will also become available to improve the delivery of the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) in specific child care circumstances.
Early Learning and Child Care Act
An integral part of the ChildCareBC Plan, the ELCCA reaffirms the ministry’s ongoing commitment to affordable, inclusive, and culturally safe child care. In Spring 2024, the ministry consulted with First Nations Title and Rights holders as well as Indigenous partner organizations to develop the regulations that will bring the ELCCA into force.
Beginning September 1, the ELCCA will:
- Expand the purpose for when child care grants can be paid including establishing a child care facility, improving the inclusivity of child care for children with support needs, or facilitating the design and delivery of Indigenous child care programs. Over time, this will help improve access to child care for families.
- Expand the role of the Provincial Child Care Council (PCCC) by authorizing the PCCC to make recommendations respecting child care beyond child care funding.
- Create a new annual reporting requirement to enhance transparency and accountability by mandating the Province to create annual reports on sector efforts to promote access to affordable, high-quality, inclusive, and culturally safe child care. These include measures taken to support Indigenous child care.
Affordable Child Care Benefit
The ACCB is a monthly payment to help eligible families with the cost of child care. Factors like income, family size, and type of care determine how much support families receive. Families need to renew their application every year, and an average of 35,600 children are supported each month with reduced fees of up to $1,250 per month, per child.
Starting September 1, enhanced ACCB supports will be available to eligible families when their child care is arranged or recommended by an Indigenous authority under Indigenous law. Families will receive the same support with their child care costs, regardless of whether their child care is arranged or recommended by the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies, or under Indigenous law. These changes support Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services and will not change eligibility requirements or reduce funding amounts to families who have not had their child care arranged or recommend by an Indigenous authority.
Please monitor the ChildCareBC Bulletin for further updates on the implementation of the ELCCA and changes to ACCB, or visit the ChildCareBC web page.