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Part of Programs and providers

Start a childcare program

Check funding eligibility and learn how to apply for a licence.

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Start a childcare program

Overview

To open and operate a licensed childcare program, it is important to understand licensing and funding supports. Before applying for a licence or requesting new childcare spaces, check below to see whether your program is eligible for funding.

Then, select the tile below that matches your role – facility-based provider, family day home agency or family day home educator – to find the licensing information you need.

Eligibility for affordability funding

‘Affordability funding’ is an operating grant paid monthly to eligible licensed programs to help lower childcare fees for families. To receive this funding, providers must meet eligibility criteria and sign an Affordability Grant agreement with the Government of Alberta. Providers should be aware that funding is limited and tied to childcare space creation caps under the current federal-provincial childcare agreement.

Before you apply for a licence or request additional childcare spaces, it is important to confirm your eligibility for affordability funding. This page has information on Alberta’s childcare space creation caps, affordability funding criteria for for-profit and non-profit programs, and updated data on how many childcare spaces remain available for funding.

  • Childcare space targets

    The 2021-2026 Canada-Alberta Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CACWELCC) includes funding to reduce parent fees for an additional 42,500 non-profit spaces (28,000 facility-based and 14,500 family day home) and 26,200 for-profit spaces, for a total of 68,700 net new funded spaces.

    • In December 2025, the governments of Alberta and Canada signed a one-year, $1.17-billion extension of the agreement. The extension removes the family day home space creation cap and allows funding for up to 5,000 additional for-profit spaces to improve access in areas where childcare remains limited.
    • Alberta hit its existing for-profit space cap of 26,200 spaces in fall 2025. This means affordability funding for for-profit spaces remains limited and eligibility criteria implemented in May 2025 is still in place.

  • For-profit program eligibility

    Affordability funding is only available to for-profit programs in the following cases:

    • An existing program has already signed a 2025–26 Affordability Grant agreement.
    • An existing program applies to increase their number of spaces through a licence variance (with demonstrated need and a good compliance history).
    • A program has a signed Space Creation Grant agreement and opens within the designated timeframe set out in their grant agreement.

    For-profit programs can still apply to become licensed even if they are ineligible for affordability funding:

    • Once licensed, for-profit programs can still apply for the provincially funded Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Program, which includes wage top-up, professional development, release time and mandatory employer contribution funding for certified early childhood educators.

  • Non-profit program eligibility

    Affordability funding remains available to non-profit programs in the following cases:

    • An existing program has already signed a 2025–26 Affordability Grant.
    • An existing program applies to increase their number of spaces through a licence variance (with demonstrated need and a good compliance history).
    • A new eligible non-profit daycare, preschool or out-of-school care program (that cares for kindergarten-age children during school hours) applies for affordability funding on a first-licensed first-served basis and the space creation cap has not yet been reached.

    New family day home agency licensing applications are not being accepted at this time.

  • Available childcare spaces

    Current as of September 30, 2025

    The following information about for-profit and non-profit space creation caps is intended to help childcare providers who are considering applying for a licence and affordability funding.

    The table and chart below show the most current data available on licensed childcare spaces in Alberta. Allocated childcare spaces refers to spaces that have already been assigned, which include:

    • licensed programs with a signed Affordability Grant agreement
    • programs with signed Space Creation Grants that are not yet licensed

    Table 1. CACWELCC Agreement – Licensed childcare spaces in Alberta (as of September 30, 2025)

    * Total target funded spaces added up to 68,700 spaces and reflect negotiated commitments under the CACWELCC Agreement.
    ** Space Creation Grants require recipients to sign an Affordability Grant agreement upon licensing. These spaces are allocated, but not yet licensed.
    *** Spaces in the application process only include spaces not allocated; those with a Space Creation 
    Grant allocation have been removed. This number represents the estimated number of spaces anticipated by applicants. Estimated spaces as of September 30, 2025.
    ***** As of August 31, 2025. September data for family day home spaces will be available early November.
    ^ Active and open spaces.
    ^^ Includes unallocated spaces and spaces that are licensed but not yet active/open.
    Childcare spacesFor profit facility-based spacesNon-profit facility-based spacesFamily day home spaces****
    Target funded
    spaces*    		26,20028,00014,500
    Total licensed spaces approved (net new)26,20015,0009,800^
    Total spaces allocated through Space Creation Grants**2,4962,9500
    Estimated unallocated spaces010,0504,700^^
    Estimated spaces in the application process***11,2275,390N/A

2021-2026 CACWELCC Agreement – Space creation growth as of September 30, 2025

Chart data table
Date Family day home spaces (licensed) Family day home spaces (allocated) Facility-based non-profit spaces (licensed) Facility-based non-profit spaces (allocated) Facility-based for-profit spaces (licensed) Facility-based for-profit spaces (allocated) Total Cap
‌2021-11-30 0 0 0 68700
2021-12-31 -100 0 0 68700
2022-01-31 200 200 700 68700
2022-02-28 600 300 1600 68700
2022-03-31 1000 300 2300 68700
2022-04-30 1300 800 2400 68700
2022-05-31 1700 1300 3000 68700
2022-06-30 1900 2000 2900 68700
2022-07-31 1500 2900 2600 68700
2022-08-31 1800 3500 2200 68700
2022-09-30 2400 4200 2500 68700
2022-10-31 2700 4400 2700 68700
2022-11-30 3000 4500 3100 68700
2022-12-31 3000 4500 3200 68700
2023-01-31 3600 4900 3600 68700
2023-02-28 3700 5000 3600 68700
2023-03-31 4100 5400 3900 68700
2023-04-30 4400 5600 3900 68700
2023-05-31 4600 5900 4400 68700
2023-06-30 4700 6200 5000 68700
2023-07-31 4500 6700 5000 68700
2023-08-31 4600 7000 5700 68700
2023-09-30 5200 7600 6500 68700
2023-10-31 5300 7800 7100 68700
2023-11-30 5400 8200 7400 68700
2023-12-31 5600 8400 7700 68700
2024-01-31 5900 8500 8800 68700
2024-02-29 5900 8800 9900 68700
2024-03-31 6200 8900 9900 68700
2024-04-30 6300 9200 9900 68700
2024-05-31 6500 9600 10500 68700
2024-06-30 6500 9800 11400 68700
2024-07-31 6200 10100 12300 68700
2024-08-31 6300 10200 14300 68700
2024-09-30 6600 10200 15100 68700
2024-10-31 6800 10300 15100 68700
2024-11-30 6800 11200 16100 68700
2024-12-31 6900 11400 16500 68700
2025-01-31 7200 11600 17700 68700
2025-02-28 7400 12200 18300 68700
2025-03-31 7700 12200 19500 68700
2025-04-30 8100 12400 21000 68700
2025-05-31 8500 12800 22900 68700
2025-06-30 8800 12800 24100 68700
2025-07-31 8800 13300 24900 68700
2025-08-31 9200 13900 25500 68700
2025-09-30 9800 0 15000 2950 26200 2496 68700
2025-10-31 68700
2025-11-30 68700
2025-12-31 68700
2026-01-31 68700
2026-02-28 68700
2026-03-31 68700
Source: Government of Alberta
Chart description

The space growth chart shows Alberta’s progress towards the space growth cap. It includes the total number of net new licensed spaces every month between November 2021 and June 2025. June 2025 also include spaces that are allocated through Space Creation Grants but not yet licensed. The chart shows that the overall space cap is 68,700 spaces, with 52,717 spaces either licensed or allocated to date. As of June 30, 2025, there are 8,774 family-based licensed or allocated spaces, 13,037 non-profit facility-based licensed or allocated spaces and 24,195 for-profit facility-based licensed or allocated spaces. The chart goes to the end of the current federal Early Learning and Child Care Agreement in March 2026.

Apply for a licence

To operate a licensed childcare program in Alberta:

  • facility-based programs and family day home agencies can apply directly for a licence through the provincial licensing process.
    • Note: Licensing applications from new family day home agencies are not being accepted at this time.
  • family day home educators must be contracted and approved by a licensed family day home agency (family day homes are not licensed individually).

Select your role below to learn how to start providing childcare, renew your licence or request additional licensed spaces.

Wide view of childcare facility with round tables with chairs for young children, building blocks on counters and other toys in the room
Facility-based programs

Apply for or renew a childcare licence for daycare, preschool or out-of-school care programs.

Paper cutouts of blue houses strung along on a white background
Family day home agencies

Apply for or renew a childcare licence to oversee family day homes — note that new licensing applications are not currently being accepted.

Close up of a young person holding a cut out of a blue house and an adult is then holding the young person's hands
Family day home educators

Work with a licensed agency to become a family day home educator and provide childcare in your home.

If you want to get certified as an early childhood educator to work for a licensed program or agency, learn how to apply for certification and explore other helpful resources for early childhood educators.

Purchase a childcare business

If you are interested in purchasing an existing childcare program, learn how affordability funding is affected by sales and change of ownership. Additional details on how licensing is affected can be found in the following documents:

Business resources

Related

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