Thank you for being here.
Below you will find a ready for you email to send to MLA Jennifer Whiteside in hopes that her office will be able to apply pressure to the Ministry of ChildCare and help us get the results we need to offer our programs to families in need of care.
Once you’ve copy and pasted please feel free to make the message your own. Then simply click here to email.
To MLA Whiteside,
As a constituent, parent, and community member, I am writing to ask you to work with the Ministry of Childcare and Education to urgently advance the approval of the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) for The Stage Musical Theatre Academy and BrightLights at The Stage.
There is a critical shortage of child care in our community. The Stage Musical Theatre Academy – an existing, successful business – responded to this shortage by taking on the risk of providing new, high quality child care spaces. Those spaces are now open; however, few parents can access them because the operating costs of providing high quality child care in our community are extremely high. High rent, high cost of living for staff, and cumbersome and restrictive physical space requirements by the Ministry result in very high operating costs for child care providers in New Westminster. The Province has committed to offsetting those costs and the child care spaces provided by the Stage are intended to work in partnership with the Province’s financial support for families.
To date, The Stage’s original application for CCFRI was denied because of higher fees. Meanwhile, neighbouring privately held childcare services charge similar fees and greater and are approved for subsidy. This is wrong and must be remedied. In this time of multiple overlapping crises, the public and private sectors must work together in good faith.
The Stage’s re-adjudication is currently pending. Every day of delay puts this valuable local business at risk. The Stage not only provides early years child care, it also runs an incredible after school program that incorporates arts education and provides a truly safe space for children to be themselves. This business also provides the only full performing arts production program for children and youth in New Westminster.
In the best interest of the community in New Westminster, please work to have the Stage New Westminster’s application for CCFRI approved as soon as possible.
Thank you,
(Insert your name)