VICTORIA - Finance Minister Mike de Jong says government cheques are in the mail to help British Columbia's parents cover daycare costs incurred during the recent teachers' strike.

The Liberals introduced a temporary education-support payment of $40 a day to help parents of students 12 years old and under pay for learning and supervision.

De Jong says the payments apply to the first 13 days of school from Sept. 2 until Sept. 18, when teachers ratified their collective agreement.

The 13 days adds up to $520, and the payment is not taxable.

De Jong says 97 per cent of eligible families have registered to receive the payment and the government has mailed out 165,000 cheques.

Parents have until Jan. 31, 2015 to register for the payments.