Dear Editor:
I'm disappointed to see Burnaby city council is refusing to fund the child-care facility at the new development at the Value Village site in Edmonds.
As city staff already noted, the community already has a strong need for additional child-care facilities, and the argument that we should consult the community to determine priorities falls flat.
Child care continues to be one of the critical issues of affordability and equality in our province, which is why Burnaby has already registered support for the idea of $10 a day child care.
While child care is a provincial responsibility, it would be nice to remember cheap child care will not happen if there are no facilities to create spaces in.
That can't just be a provincial responsibility; municipalities need to step in and help carry the burden if we are serious about creating enough child-care spaces to ensure parents can work without worrying about the children they're leaving behind.
I hope the next time this comes up, council decides to work with local families and the community to ensure child care is a priority.
Trevor Ritchie, Burnaby
