It was a big victory for Gregson and countless other advocates.
“Personally, I got messages from across the country,” Gregson says. “People who were ecstatic! People who were offering their congratulations.”
But the joy was short-lived. The following day, British Columbia announced its provincial budget, allotting just $233 million in the next three years to building out B.C.’s child care system.
It was a stark difference from the NDP’s promise of an extra $750 million annually for child care during last fall’s election campaign.
“To say it was a lacklustre budget for child care is probably an understatement,” Gregson says. “I think that people across the country were saying, ‘What the heck happened in B.C.?!’ Because we had, for the last three years, been a leader on child care.”
“Trevor, it’s not outside time.” I reach for my walkie-talkie. “Guys, I need help now. Please. Hurry.”
That’s when I spot Alexa across the gym, reaching up to touch the red metal fire alarm. “Alexa! Don’t do ” she doesn’t hear me and I can’t run to her, because if I move the door will close and lock out Trevor. “Don’t ” she jumps higher, her heels lifting and her hand grasping at the red box.
The fire alarm rings.
Five years later, that difficult day still loomed large when I pondered whether the stresses of being a daycare teacher outweigh my calling to the field. In fact, I was trying to decide whether to quit and move on to something else when the pandemic arrived in March of 2020.