As provincial subsidies end, the Town of Black Diamond is pitching in to help provide affordable daycare.
Boys and Girls Club of Foothills CEO Shirley Puttock presented to council on Feb. 21 a request for support through the waiving of lease payments for use of the Edith Park Banquet Room in the upper floor of the Oilfields Regional Arena. As well a request was made to waive municipal taxes for the non-profit organization's daycare located at 110 2 Street East.
As the Province of Alberta ends childcare grants at the end of March, Puttock said the club would no longer be able to provide $25 per day childcare.
The grants, which were put in place in 2018, totalled $500,000 per year for three years for the BGCF-operated Black Diamond daycare.
Without them, Puttock stated operating costs would dictate they raise their fees to $50 per day, and most families indicated they wouldn’t be able to afford it.
At least one family told the club that a parent would have to give up their job to stay home with their children.
“Eighty per cent of them couldn’t pay,” Puttock said in the meeting. “We went back to the drawing board, and we reduced our rate to about $38 per day.
“But we will have a substantial shortfall of almost $100,000 for the first year.
“Many of them told us they would not be able to keep their children in care at $1,100 per month."
COVID-19 has played a part, as the club still needs a minimum amount of staff for certain programs, but there are less children attending programs with restrictions in place.
Puttock added that there have been no COVID-19 cases associated with the organization's programs.
The Alberta government also demanded back any surplus and claimed the BGCF owed back $307,000, but Puttock said they were in negotiations with the Province to dispute this.
“We feel they should have extended the grant for three months for our families that are struggling, trying to get back to work and to find jobs,” Puttock said.
The club was able to receive rent relief for four months at the 110 2 Street SE location, but the landlord was no longer able to accommodate lower rent.
The two locations in Black Diamond employ 32 people.
Council voted unanimously to waive six months of leave payments for the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills usage of the room in the arena.
Puttock was thankful for the relief.
“It's been a hard, hard year. I feel grateful for the staff and the board and our wonderful families that have worked along with us.”
The total amount that will be waived is $6,748 for the months of July to December 2021.
Coun. Jackie Stickel said the Town will essentially be absorbing the costs of the space.
CAO Sharlene Brown clarified that the only cost to the town would be utilities.
When asked by Mayor Ruth Goodwin if there were other daycares in the community, Brown responded to her knowledge there were no other daycares, only private day homes and they were “very limited.”
Goodwin sees the availability of affordable childcare as essential to the economic wellbeing of Town residents.
“Good childcare options allow parents to be able to work, to provide for their family — circle of life in our small communities,” Goodwin said.
“More than any other time, through this COVID crisis that we've all been experiencing and living through, now is the time that you really need to have those subsidized programs in place.
“A lot of people have tapped out and are coming fairly thin on their resources.”
Part of the request to council also included waiving $599.72 per month in municipal property taxes to 110 2 Street SE location, but council declined this request.
Coun. Ted Bain commented it could open the door for other such requests.
“I think that if we start waiving municipal taxes for anyone, then it sets a very dangerous precedent,” Bain said.
The solution is temporary, and Puttock hopes higher levels of government will support affordable.
“I feel disappointed in a government that won't continue with affordable childcare, because for both Alberta and Canada, the governments need to step up,” Puttock later said in an interview.
“Childcare is essential to economic recovery.”
