Excerpted from release
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 0- to kindergarten-aged children by an average of half next year, and provides an average of $10 per day child care by 2026.
Through the agreement, $3.8 billion will be invested in child care for children aged 0 to Kindergarten over the next 5 years:
- $2.865 billion to lower child care fees for Alberta parents
- $240.64 million to increase the number of child care spaces
- $202.6 million to develop and fund child care options to support vulnerable and diverse populations, as well as children with extra needs
- $306.16 million to support licensed programs and certified educators in offering high-quality support for families in their communities
Key features of the plan
Improving affordability
Over the next 5 years of the agreement, we will:
- reduce fees by an average of 50% for families with children 0 to Kindergarten in early 2022
- lower average licensed child care fees to $10 per day by 2025-26 for families with children 0 to Kindergarten
- increase support for parents
Expanding child care accessibility
To ensure families can choose the child care that works best for them, we will:
- add at least 42,500 new licensed child care spaces over the next 5 years
- support licensed child care – preschools, daycare and licensed family day homes
Supporting high-quality child care
Quality care starts with quality educators. The agreement provides funds for:
- professional development, training and improved certification levels for our early childhood educator workforce
- continued wage tops for child care educators – among the highest in Canada
What this means for parents
Parents will see reduced fees starting in early 2022 and for the next 2 years. While additional information will be shared soon, families can expect to pay an average of:
- $10 per day if they earn up to $119,999
- $11 to $17 per day if they earn between $120,000 and $179,999
- $22.19 per day if they earn $180,000 and above
- For example, a family earning $120,000 with an infant attending a licensed facility-based centre full-time currently pays on average $1172 per month. By year 2022, this family can expect to pay an average of $284 per month.