Overview

In November 2021, Alberta and Canada signed an agreement to increase accessible, affordable and high-quality child care in Alberta, giving families the choice they need. In addition to the Canada-Alberta Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, Alberta and Canada have signed agreements to further support child care in Alberta including the Canada-Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Agreement in June 2021 and the Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Funding Agreement in March 2024.

Key features of the plan

  • Icon with gear and money symbol
    Investing in child care

    Alberta has developed a 3-year action plan for early learning and child care, outlining how Alberta will achieve its renewed vision for child care in Alberta. Through the Canada-Wide agreement, approximately $3.8 billion will be invested in child care for children from birth to kindergarten-age (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours). Key features of this investment are:

    • $3.16 billion to reduce out-of-pocket parent fees
    • $185 million to support the creation of up to 68,700 licensed child care spaces by 2026
    • $152 million to increase access to equitable and inclusive child care spaces
    • $506 million to support certified educators in licensed child care programs offering high-quality support for families in their communities
  • Icon of a piggybank
    Improving affordability

    Sustained affordable child care supports families and ultimately Alberta’s economic prosperity. Alberta is working to reduce out-of-pocket parent fees for full-time licensed early learning and child care spaces for children from birth to kindergarten-age. Over the course of the 5-year agreement, for families with children up to kindergarten-age, we will:

    • reduce licensed child care parent fees by an average of 50% (completed 2022)
    • lower average licensed child care parent fees to $15 per day (completed early 2024)
    • lower average licensed child care parent fees to $10 per day (by end of March 2026)
  • Icon of a family
    Expanding child care accessibility

    Families have options for quality early learning and child care where and when they need it. Alberta will support the creation of up to 68,700 licensed child care spaces by March 2026 in non-profit (including facility-based and family day homes) and private facility-based programs.

    To ensure families can choose the child care that works best for them, we will:

    • support licensed child care programs – preschools, daycares and family day homes under a licensed agency
    • support licensed programs offering flexibility for families requiring drop-in or overnight child care
    • implement a variety of initiatives to increase the number of licensed child care spaces, creating up to 68,700 new spaces by March 2026 (at least 42,500 non-profit and up to 26,200 for-profit).
    • November 2021: 103,000 spaces
    • March 2024: 128,300 spaces
    • Progress: 25% increase
  • Icon of a hand holding a book
    Supporting high-quality child care

    Early childhood educators deliver high-quality early learning and child care programs that support children’s well-being and developmental needs.

    Quality care starts with well-trained, dedicated educators. Alberta values the early childhood education profession and we will:

    • increase access to the profession by increasing enrolment capacity for the free level 1 child-care orientation from 4,000 to 10,000 spaces (completed)
    • support professional development, training and improved certification levels for our early childhood educator workforce
    • continue wage top-ups for early childhood educators – among the highest in Canada
    • continue to build accessibility for children of all abilities and backgrounds
    • increase the number of qualified early childhood educators employed in licensed child care programs:
      • November 2021: 18,100 ECEs
      • March 2024: 27,900 ECEs
      • Progress: 54% increase

    Read more on child care supports for inclusion

What this means for parents

We will give grants to child care providers that will lower fees for all parents. And families who make less than $180,000 will be eligible for an additional subsidy to further reduce their child care costs.

The amount that you will save will vary depending on the fees your child care provider charges. However, grant-receiving providers must commit to helping Alberta ensure families reach an average of $10 per day by the end of 5 years.

More information

  • How fees will be reduced

    In step one of this 5-year plan, parents of children up to kindergarten-age (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours) had their child care fees reduced by an average of 50% in 2022. By 2025-26, parents will pay, on average, $10 a day per child.

    Fees will be reduced in 2 ways:

    • providing affordability grants to licensed preschools, daycares and family day homes under a licensed agency for operators to lower child care fees for all parents by a set amount
    • increasing family income thresholds for Child Care Subsidy eligibility criteria so more parents benefit:
      • full subsidy if gross household income is up to $119,999
      • partial subsidy if gross household income is from $120,000 to $179,999
      • preschool (part-time) flat rate of $125 per month for families earning up to $180,000

    Families are now benefiting from both affordability grants and subsidies and will pay less overall. How much less you pay will depend on the age of your child and your family income. The total amount you will pay will vary depending on the fees your child care provider charges.

    The combined benefits of affordability grants and subsidies should be considered when estimating your new costs.

  • Affordability grants

    Affordability grants go directly to child care providers so they can lower parent fees for all families in their program. Funding is provided for each child based on age range and type of care, up to a maximum amount based on the fees. Preschool programs have a set rate of $75 per month per child. Parents do not need to apply to benefit from this fee reduction.

    Child care typeInfant (under 19 months)Toddler (19 months to under 3 years)Preschool age (3 years to kindergarten)
    Daycare – full timeUp to $883Up to $709Up to $626
    Daycare – part timeUp to $317.50Up to $255Up to $225
    Daycare – overnight full timeUp to $1,324Up to $1,063Up to $938
    Daycare – overnight part timeUp to $476.25Up to $382.50Up to $337.50
    Family day home – full timeUp to $487Up to $452Up to $417
    Family day home – part timeUp to $175Up to $162.50Up to $150
    Family day home – overnight full timeUp to $730Up to $678Up to $626
    Family day home – overnight part timeUp to $262.50Up to $243.75Up to $225

  • Finding child care with reduced fees

    To find licensed child care in your community:

    We are working to add at least 42,500 new non-profit and up to 26,200 private licensed child care spaces across Alberta over the next few years.

  • Additional information

    For more information, contact Child Care Connect at 1‑844‑644-5165 (toll free) or each out to your local Children's Services office.

Operator information

  • Affordability grants

    Grants

    • Affordability grants go directly to licensed providers and must be used to reduce parent fees.
      • Providers can use these grants to pay overhead costs and educator wages.
      • These grants are not to be used for capital improvements or dividends to investors.
    • Grant recipients must commit to working with the government to ensure fees for all families reach an average of $10 per day by the end of 5 years (2025-26).

    Eligibility

    • Licensed child care programs such as preschools, daycares and family day homes under licensed agencies that provide care to infants, toddlers and kindergarten age children (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours).
    • Providers are eligible for affordability supports for full-time (100+ hours per month) and part-time care spaces (between 50 and 100 hours per month).

    How grants are calculated

    • The affordability grant amount was calculated using average program fees across the province, per space per month, based on the type of child care and the age group.
    • Alberta determined the average child care fee for a licensed space across the province and calculated the necessary affordability grant required to reduce fees by an average of 50% for 2022.
    • Infant spaces (under 19 months) receive the highest grant rates given the low staff to child ratio and additional costs of operating spaces for this age group.
    • More information is available in the Affordability Grant Funding Guide

  • Cost Control Framework and For-Profit Expansion Plan

    As part of the Canada-Alberta Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the Cost Control Framework and For-Profit Expansion Plan supports the growth of affordable child care spaces in licensed programs while ensuring the sound and reasonable use of public funds by all licensed child care providers.

    Learn more

  • Infant care and part-time care

    Infant care

    • On top of the affordability grant, providers will also receive infant care funding as a stand-alone grant of $150 per enrolled infant space per month.
    • Providers can use these funds flexibly to support infant care in their programs. The funding doesn’t need to flow through to parents.

    Part-time care

    • Providers are eligible for affordability supports for part-time care spaces (between 50 and 100 hours per month).

  • Become a family day home educator with a licensed agency

    Family day home educators who operate under an agreement with a licensed agency have access to training, resources and assistance. To find out how you can become a licensed family day home educator:

  • Workforce training and development

    Training and development

    This agreement includes more than $300 million to bolster professional development and training for certified early childhood educators.

    • This includes paid wages and wage top-ups for education and training, and/or pay to offset the costs to operators and increase staff’s ability to access training and professional development.
    • Funding will also be used to increase certification levels for early childhood educators.

    Through a separate funding agreement with the federal government, we are already directing about $56 million to support quality within licensed child care programs and help operators recruit, retrain and retain high quality staff. This includes:

    • $20.57 million for child care staff recovery and retention due to closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (provided in fall 2021)
    • $25.7 million for skills training and professional development (implemented in spring 2022)
    • $4.13 million to support wage top-ups for preschool educators (implemented September 1, 2021)

    To make it easier for Albertans to start a career in child care, we've increased enrolment capacity for the free level 1 child-care orientation from 4,000 to 10,000 spaces. The course is now available to all Albertans.

    Wage top-ups

    Alberta provides wage top-ups to certified early childhood educators to help programs recruit and retain the best educators. Approximately 18,500 early childhood educators receive wage top-ups.

    As of October 1, 2022, we've expanded the paid hours that are eligible for existing wage top-ups for front-line certified early childhood educators to include indirect time and employer-paid vacation time.

    Wage top-ups vary by early childhood educators' certification level:

    • Level 3: $8.62 per hour on top of their employer paid wage
    • Level 2: $5.05 per hour on top of their employer paid wage
    • Level 1: $2.64 per hour on top of their employer paid wage

    The agreement includes a commitment to explore the possibility of a wage grid and other benefit considerations over the course of the agreement.

  • Next steps and additional information

    We will seek provider feedback on several key pieces of the agreement as it is implemented, including developing the workforce, creating spaces to address high and diverse needs, to inform implementation of the cost control framework and refining affordability supports for unique circumstances.

    Reach out to your local licensing officer or email [email protected] with questions or suggestions.

Resources

Related

News