Families with children turning six during their kindergarten year and attending a regulated child-care facility will continue to receive the higher subsidy rate, announced Linda Reid, Minister of State for Child Care.

"We're now making sure that parents are able to collect the same subsidy rate throughout the entire kindergarten year," said Reid. "This change will better meet the needs of kindergarten parents and will even the playing field for parents."

Effective immediately, the Province will maintain subsidy rates to families with children in kindergarten who have their sixth birthday between January and June of their kindergarten year. Previously, rates were reduced once the child turned six.

"With this new regulation, children who turn six while attending kindergarten will receive up to an additional half year of subsidy at the same rate," said Reid. "Also, families currently authorized for subsidy between January and June will not have to reapply to receive the
enhanced rate."

This increase will have a positive change on low and middle income families across the province. A family making $30,000 per year will now be eligible to maintain their current subsidy of $340 per month for a child attending a regulated child-care facility.

Earlier this year, the Province increased its out-of-school child-care subsidy for families with children aged six to 12 years in both licensed and unlicensed care. These and other key enhancements to B.C.'s child-care subsidy program since 2005 are enabling nearly 50,000 children from low and moderate income families to take part in child-care and early learning programs annually.

For more information on the program, please visit www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/subsidy_promo.htm