B.C. taking applications for more $10-a-day child care providers

Children's backpacks and shoes are seen at a Core Education and Fine Arts Early Learning daycare franchise, in Langley, B.C., on Tuesday May 29, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The B.C. government has taken another step towards expanding $10-a-day child care in the province.

On Monday, officials began accepting applications from child care providers interested in joining the program later this year.

The government's aim is to increase the number of $10-a-day spaces to 12,500 by December, which is nearly double the current total of about 6,500.

"Applications will now be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis, based on priority criteria, allowing some sites to offer $10 a day spaces sooner than December," the Ministry of Education and Child Care said in a news release.

Providers that care for children up to five years old can apply until noon on Aug. 18. Officials said they will be giving priority to "larger non-profit, publicly delivered and Indigenous-led providers" in communities that don't already have $10-a-day care available.

According to the ministry, full-time care for infants costs an average of $1,000 a month at facilities participating in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative. Parents who are able to send their child to $10-a-day care spend about $200 a month.

Officials previously announced the program's 2022 expansion, which is being supported with $3.2 billion in federal funding over five years.