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B.C.'s Eby declines to reveal size of donation after $10-a-day daycare revelation
Eby said his family donated the savings after their YMCA child-care centre joined the subsidized program, as Conservatives called the move unfair.
On Tuesday, British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby confirmed his family utilizes a subsidized $10-a-day daycare spot at a YMCA facility, sparking criticism during the provincial election campaign.
The $10-a-day program, a central NDP platform promise since 2017, remains severely limited, with only roughly 10 per cent of B.C.'s 160,000 child-care spaces currently enrolled after expansion was frozen in the 2026 budget.
Conservative candidate Margareta Dovgal called the situation "fundamentally unfair," arguing it is "shocking" for a high-income family earning more than $226,000 annually to occupy a scarce spot while many families struggle with high fees.
Eby defended the arrangement, stating his family donates savings back to the facility to support other families, but declined to disclose the specific donation amount or confirm whether it qualifies as a tax deduction.
Childcare advocates argue the controversy distracts from the program's stalled expansion and lack of universal access, while the provincial election on October 24 has intensified debate over whether a Conservative government would maintain existing fee protections.