A South Surrey daycare operator says 91裸聊视频渉uge problems91裸聊视频� with a government initiative lauded to make licensed child care more affordable for B.C. families pushed her to the brink of bankruptcy.

Joanna Mueggenburg, owner of K.I.N. Outdoor Learning Centre, said she was forced to borrow thousands of dollars in order to cover the per-space funding subsidy that families of young kids were promised would kick in on Dec. 1 last year, as part of the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI).

Licensed in November, Mueggenburg said she was owed nearly $40,000 in funding for December through March as of last week, and was still waiting for her CCFRI application to be approved.

Tuesday (March 28), she expressed relief at learning this week that everything was finally moving forward 91裸聊视频� with $27,000 of the funds owed to soon be deposited 91裸聊视频� but said she remains concerned for other operators who may not have been able to hang on.

91裸聊视频淟ucky I was able to make it through this, but there91裸聊视频檚 probably a lot of people who couldn91裸聊视频檛,91裸聊视频� Mueggenburg said.

91裸聊视频淚 was very, very close to having to close my doors because of the processing delays.91裸聊视频�

The provincial government announced in September 2022 that families with young kids in licensed child care would see their monthly fees drop automatically by up to $550 per month starting Dec. 1.

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Education and Child Care Minister Jennifer Whiteside said at the time that the fee reductions, available at centres where providers have opted in to the CCFRI, would mean families with children in kindergarten and younger in eligible care 91裸聊视频� around 69,000 kids 91裸聊视频� would receive the lower fees.

The savings were on top of earlier reductions of $350 per month for children younger than three years old in group care, bringing the total fee cut to $900 a month, Whiteside noted.

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91裸聊视频淲e are moving towards our goal of $10-a-day child care for every family by reducing fees for parents and supporting providers,91裸聊视频� she said.

It was expected that 12,500 $10-a-day spaces would be created by Dec. 31, 2022.

In an emailed statement to Peace Arch News Tuesday, Minister of State for Child Care Grace Lore said ministry staff 91裸聊视频渁re working closely with providers to resolve issues and incomplete applications, to make sure families receive savings.91裸聊视频�

The delay in Mueggenburg91裸聊视频檚 case related to 91裸聊视频渙utstanding information91裸聊视频� on her application; information Mueggenburg just learned 91裸聊视频� despite multiple, hours-long waits in the CCFRI telephone helpline queue 91裸聊视频� dates back to 2021.

She doesn91裸聊视频檛 know why her 2023-24 application was not affected, or when she will see the initial $27,000 deposited, but said it is 91裸聊视频渘ot fair91裸聊视频� that she and other operators have essentially had to fund the province91裸聊视频檚 initiative.

91裸聊视频淲e only get $1,000 per space and when half of it is government-funded, it91裸聊视频檚 a lot of money to be out-of-pocket.91裸聊视频�

Mueggenburg is not alone in her frustrations.

Holly Halford, who applied to the program after opening her Blossoms and Roots centre in White Rock in February, said this week that she, too, was still waiting for word on funding.

Operating a total of 48 spaces 91裸聊视频� 40 in White Rock and another eight spaces in South Surrey at her Baby Acorns location 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渁 significant amount of money91裸聊视频� that I91裸聊视频檓 subsidizing right now,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 two months behind in payments.91裸聊视频�

Halford, who is the wife of Surrey-White Rock Liberal MLA Trevor Halford, also named processing delays as among key issues.

Another, she said, is that the roll-out is only supporting one type of childcare operator: not-for-profit.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 wonderful that government is paying more attention to childcare, but their initiative is also squeezing private operators in a way that a lot of us may not be able to continue providing care.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 think there91裸聊视频檚 a better way of doing it.91裸聊视频�

Halford, who noted demand for childcare far outweighs supply, said if her funding isn91裸聊视频檛 sorted out soon 91裸聊视频� CCFRI agreements are set to renew Friday (April 1) 91裸聊视频� she will have to ask parents to pay the full cost of their spaces until it is.

Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko highlighted the issue in a tweet last week, charging the NDP was mismanaging the roll-out in B.C., as providers can91裸聊视频檛 afford the imposed cost restraints.

The NDP are mismanaging the rollout of affordable childcare in BC - providers can91裸聊视频檛 afford the imposed cost constraints. I91裸聊视频檝e heard from multiple providers in Surrey who feel desperate under the current plan because they can91裸聊视频檛 pay the bills.

91裸聊视频� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

Monday (March 27), Childcare Critic Karin Kirkpatrick, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano, said she continues to field concerns.

Many operators waiting for the subsidies have begun sending parents letters advising them to expect to pay the full fees, she said.

91裸聊视频淕overnment has this program, but they91裸聊视频檙e pushing the costs down to the providers91裸聊视频� kind of driving people out of the program,91裸聊视频� Kirkpatrick said.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not being rolled out in an equitable way,91裸聊视频� she added.

Kirkpatrick said government needs to look again at the roll-out, as well as simplify the application process.

The statement from Lore91裸聊视频檚 ministry noted that eligible providers who submitted complete applications by March 9 will receive approval by April 1, 91裸聊视频渁nd families at these centres will not have their savings interrupted.91裸聊视频�