Excerpt

Alberta is one of two provinces that did not sign an extension agreement with the federal government for its $10 a day child-care program and says it’s currently in the process of negotiating a new deal.

The province signed a five-year agreement with Ottawa in November 2021 which is set to expire March 31, 2026. The federal government’s $3.8-billion childcare plan aims to slash costs with the goal of hitting the $10-a-day mark in 2026.

In a statement to Postmedia, Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the province sent a letter to the federal government with terms for a new agreement, including an income-tested system, flexibility to manage the system which falls under provincial jurisdiction and appropriate access to public funding for both non-profit and for-profit providers.

“While we recognize the uncertainty around federal negotiations is concerning for childcare providers, the current agreement will remain in place until March 31, 2026. We are working hard to reach a new deal before the current one ends,” Nicolaides said.

“We are waiting for a response from the federal government so we can move these negotiations forward.”

...