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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 agreement.
    • 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 February 2, 2026

    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 February 2, 2026)

    ** Space targets reflect negotiated commitments under the CACWELCC Agreement extension between Alberta and the Government of Canada. 
    *** Includes both Space Creation Grant and Building Blocks Grant, which require the signing of an Affordability Grant 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 February 2, 2026.
    Childcare spacesFor-profit facility-based spacesNon-profit facility-based spacesFamily day home spaces
    Target funded
    spaces**    		31,20037,500
    Total licensed spaces approved (net new)26,54916,72510,902
    Allocated through Space Creation Grant programs***1,8143,1220
    Estimated unallocated spaces2,8376,751
    Estimated spaces in the application process****9,6254,110N/A

2021-2026 CACWELCC Agreement – Space creation growth as of February 2, 2026

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 -186 250 -11 68700
2022-01-31 180 392 734 68700
2022-02-28 534 491 1680 68700
2022-03-31 920 448 2361 68700
2022-04-30 1262 976 2455 68700
2022-05-31 1622 1461 3062 68700
2022-06-30 1826 2253 2970 68700
2022-07-31 1436 3114 2686 68700
2022-08-31 1746 3708 2286 68700
2022-09-30 2388 4492 2596 68700
2022-10-31 2694 4605 2751 68700
2022-11-30 2952 4717 3208 68700
2022-12-31 2976 4741 3226 68700
2023-01-31 3570 5137 3645 68700
2023-02-28 3696 5242 3682 68700
2023-03-31 4046 5645 3928 68700
2023-04-30 4398 5862 3911 68700
2023-05-31 4536 6146 4421 68700
2023-06-30 4704 6419 5031 68700
2023-07-31 4428 6927 5015 68700
2023-08-31 4532 7205 5753 68700
2023-09-30 5168 7818 6583 68700
2023-10-31 5258 8029 7149 68700
2023-11-30 5342 8451 7431 68700
2023-12-31 5588 8663 7730 68700
2024-01-31 5852 8786 8812 68700
2024-02-29 5900 9038 9313 68700
2024-03-31 6200 9141 9949 68700
2024-04-30 6302 9485 9974 68700
2024-05-31 6458 9858 10557 68700
2024-06-30 6410 10087 11410 68700
2024-07-31 6152 10415 12351 68700
2024-08-31 6224 10391 13310 68700
2024-09-30 6548 10483 14319 68700
2024-10-31 6706 10502 15121 68700
2024-11-30 6754 11438 16198 68700
2024-12-31 6902 11651 16574 68700
2025-01-31 7112 11818 17787 68700
2025-02-28 7360 11938 18339 68700
2025-03-31 7626 12485 19527 68700
2025-04-30 8082 12620 21067 68700
2025-05-31 8484 13051 22923 68700
2025-06-30 8774 13037 24195 68700
2025-07-31 8756 13286 24907 68700
2025-08-31 9152 13892 25493 68700
2025-09-30 9734 14290 25475 68700
2025-10-31 10248 15061 26390 68700
2025-11-30 10692 17020 26635 68700
2025-12-31 10902 15177 25872 68700
2026-01-31 15968 26119 68700
2026-02-02 0 16725 3122 26549 1814 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 February 2026. February 2026 also includes spaces that are allocated through Space Creation Grants and Building Blocks Grants but not yet licensed. The chart shows that the overall space cap is 68,700 spaces, with 59,112 spaces licensed to date. As of February 2, 2026 there are 10,902 family-based licensed spaces, 16,725 non-profit facility-based licensed spaces and 26,549 for-profit facility-based licensed spaces.

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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