BREAKING NEWS: Today, the provincial government announced a new service to match essential workers, including grocery workers, industrial food processors, and home care workers with child care accommodations during the COVID-19 crisis. While the first available spots will go to health care workers, any remaining space will be available to other essential service workers.
This announcement comes after UFCW 1518 members and hundreds of people from the community spoke out about the need for child care for critical grocery workers. UFCW 1518 members have gone above and beyond the call to help flatten the curve on the COVID-19 pandemic, and called out for fair treatment in recognition of their roles as critical front-line workers.
The matching service will be available for parents with children up to 5 years of age. Essential workers can access the service by filling out a new “parent” form by calling 1-888-338-6622 or online at www.gov.bc.ca/essential-service-child-care
The service will direct requests to one of 38 community referral centres who will reach out to those that filled out the form and connect them with a licensed childcare service. Families accessing care from the service may be eligible for the Affordable Child Care Benefit.
When filling out the form, it is important to note:
- Which category of essential worker you are. Grocery workers, pharmacy technicians and assistants, industrial food processors, and home care workers are defined as essential service workers.
- Your child’s age; and
- Which community you will need child care in
You can find more information on childcare in relation to COVID-19 here. If you have any specific childcare-related questions, please feel free to contact us at childcare@ufcw1518.com. For general COVID-19 information, please go to our COVID-19 Resource Page.