Alberta and feds agree to next phase in affordable child-care plan

Alberta Children's Services Minister Mickey Amery says 1,600 private child-care spaces will be eligible for funding almost immediately.

Alberta parents will soon have access to more subsidized licensed private child-care spaces.

The province signed on to the federal Liberal’s $10-a-day child-care program in November 2021 and now the two governments have agreed to a key component in the next phase of their funding agreement.

Alberta Children’s Services Minister Mickey Amery says 1,600 private spaces will be eligible for funding almost immediately, with up to 2,000 more as soon as licensing requirements are completed.

He says an additional 22,500 spaces may become eligible for funding support over the next three years.

Municipal Affairs Minister Rebecca Schulz says the extra spaces will free up time for parents who want to further their education or return to work.

Alberta is receiving $3.8 billion in federal funding over five years with the goal of reducing daycare fees to $10 a day by 2026.

“At a time when the cost of living continues to rise, these new affordable child-care spaces will make all the difference in the world for my family,” said parent Kristen Bailey. “Having our child-care fees cut in half will go a long way in helping to reduce the financial burden when it comes to paying the bills.”

“This announcement is great news not just for us but also for our Alberta families,” said Cynthia Nerling, president of the Alberta Association of Child Care Operators.