 Your government has listened to the call of families and employers to move further on childcare and early childhood education. The financial pressures and time crunch on families today are real and increasing. Parents want a need to work and childcare is fundamental to that goal. New investments cannot wait. They need to be made now. With the confidence of this House, your government will amend the 2017 budget to make a billion-dollar investment in childcare and early childhood education over the next four years, the single largest boost in BC history. Your government's plan is guided by three core principles, delivering the highest quality care, reducing wait lists by creating more spaces and making childcare more affordable. This investment will be sustained over the long term and when it will enable building 60,000 new childcare spaces, a 50% increase over the next four years, covering an additional 150,000 children, a five-fold increase with either full or partial childcare subsidies, funding up to 4,000 new early childhood educators with $10 million in grants and bursaries, exploring partnerships with school districts to co-locate new childcare spaces at elementary schools. While your government applauds the federal government's efforts to expand spaces, it will seek further help to increase support for parents to make childcare even more affordable. Your government welcomes discussion with members of this legislature and families to ensure this billion-dollar investment meets the needs of British Columbians in all corners of the province. However, your government recognizes these investments are urgently needed and will move on this as quickly as possible. Thank you.