The childcare situation in Smithers, and indeed across the province, is at an all time low and embroiled in the worse childcare crisis in a generation.

Although, the federal and provincial governments have promised $10 a day daycare over the past two years, there are still hundreds of families in Smithers alone struggling everyday to find affordable, reliable childcare.

Over the past year Smithers council have been working with partners and consultants to draw up a game plan in the hopes of cultivating the right conditions for more childcare spaces to be added in the community and for new opportunities for daycares to open up.

However, it is a bit of a quagmire for Town Council. Starkly speaking, childcare is not a municipal responsibility. But in times for crisis, all hands must be on deck. That’s why Smithers has developed a childcare plan to help elevate the situation, or at least advocate to higher levels of government to take action. Last year Smithers council entered into negotiations with the YMCA of BC to possibly develop a new daycare in town, but that is at least a year and a half away from coming to friction. Last night, the final report of the Smithers Childcare plan and results from the community survey were presented to council as they move forward doing whatever they can to address the childcare shortage and better support families in town.

As we’ve seen time and time again, without childcare, many families are having to choose between work, livelihood and providing for their families, or staying home to care for their children. This adds enormous pressure on household trying to make ends meet, especially during economic uncertainty.

Although childcare is not town councils responsibility, they find themselves wading into a deepening predicament, with no clear path forward.