The Alberta Child Care Subsidy Program is undergoing important updates that will affect families starting in 2025. As part of our commitment to keeping you informed, here’s a breakdown of the upcoming changes to ensure you understand how these adjustments to the Alberta child care subsidy program might impact your family’s child care arrangements.
Important Dates and Program Modifications
Starting February 1, 2025, the Alberta child care subsidy program will no longer accept new applications for certain groups. Specifically, subsidies will not be available for:
- Children up to kindergarten age who attend child care during standard school hours.
- Children enrolled in licensed preschool programs.
For families currently receiving subsidies under these categories, it’s important to note that all existing subsidies, including extended hours subsidies for these groups, will conclude on March 31, 2025. If you are currently benefiting from these subsidies, you can still apply for renewal until March 31, 2025.
Transition to a New Fee Structure from April 1, 2025
A significant shift will occur on April 1, 2025, with the introduction of a universal monthly fee structure for children up to kindergarten age attending licensed daycare and family day home programs during regular school hours. Under this new system:
- Monthly parent fees will be capped at $326.25 per month for full-time care, which is equivalent to $15 per day.
- Part-time care will be set at $230.00 per month.
This change means that the standard subsidy will no longer be applicable for these age groups in these settings. For preschool programs, while direct subsidies will be discontinued, families will see a reduction of up to $100 off their stated monthly child care fees. This adjustment aims to maintain affordability while streamlining the subsidy process.
Subsidies Continuing for Out-of-School Care
It’s crucial to highlight that the Alberta child care subsidy program will continue to support families with children in full-time kindergarten through Grade 6 who are enrolled in licensed out-of-school care programs, including extended hours. Applications for these subsidies will proceed as usual, ensuring that working families have access to affordable care outside of school hours.
Affordability Grant for Child Care Providers
The Alberta government remains committed to supporting child care providers through the Affordability Grant. This grant will continue to be provided to licensed child care providers who offer care to children up to kindergarten age. For in-depth information about this grant, please visit the Affordability Grants website.
Renewal of Existing Subsidies
To summarize, families currently receiving Alberta child care subsidy program benefits can renew their applications until March 31, 2025, for children from age 0 to Grade 6 enrolled in various licensed programs, including:
- Licensed facility-based programs (daycares, out-of-school care, and preschools).
- Family day home programs overseen by a licensed family day home agency.
- Group family child care centers.
It’s important to be aware that the current subsidy rates will remain effective only until March 31, 2025. These rates vary based on factors such as the child’s age, family income, the type of child care program, and the number of hours of care needed per month. Previously, the subsidy program included categories for children up to kindergarten age (in kindergarten and attending child care during school hours), children in kindergarten to grade 6 in out-of-school care, preschool subsidies, and extended hours subsidies. Moving forward, the program is adapting to better serve the evolving needs of Alberta families.
Stay informed about these changes to ensure a smooth transition for your child care arrangements in 2025.
