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COVID-19 Updates: Taking steps to return to normal.
Expands accessible, affordable and high-quality child care to give Alberta families the choice they need.
Applications now open
Applications for subsidy for families of children 0 to kindergarten age earning up to $180,000 are now open. Parents already receiving subsidy do not need to reapply.
We have successfully negotiated an agreement with the federal government that will support the expansion of accessible, affordable and high-quality child care that gives families the choice they need. This made-in-Alberta plan also reduces fees for parents of children 0 to kindergarten age (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours) by an average of half beginning in January 2022, to an average of $10 per day child care by 2026.
Through the agreement, $3.8 billion will be invested in child care for children 0 to kindergarten age (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours):
If you are a parent of a child 0 to kindergarten age (in kindergarten and also attending child care during regular school hours), you will be paying less for licensed child care by January 2022.
Over the next 5 years of the agreement, we will:
To ensure families can choose the child care that works best for them, we will:
Quality care starts with quality educators. The agreement provides funds for:
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.
Parents will see reduced fees starting in early 2022, and can expect to pay an average of:
For example: A family earning $120,000 with an infant attending a licensed facility-based centre full-time currently pays on average $1,172 per month. By early 2022, this family can expect to pay an average of $284 per month.
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.