Effective February 1, 2025, significant changes are coming to the Alberta Health Care Subsidy Program, particularly affecting families utilizing child care services. These updates will alter subsidy eligibility and fee structures for many parents across the province. Understanding these changes is crucial for families to plan accordingly for their child care needs.
Key Changes to Alberta Child Care Subsidies
Several important updates to the Alberta child care subsidy program will be implemented in the coming months. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:
End of Subsidies for Specific Child Care Groups
Starting February 1, 2025, the Alberta health care subsidy program will no longer accept new applications for:
- Children up to kindergarten age attending child care during regular school hours.
- Children enrolled in licensed preschool programs.
Furthermore, all existing subsidies, including extended hours subsidies, for these groups will end on March 31, 2025. Families currently receiving these subsidies can still apply for renewals until March 31, 2025, but these will also cease after this date.
Transition to Universal Fee Structure for Daycare
Beginning April 1, 2025, a new universal monthly fee structure will be introduced for children up to kindergarten age attending licensed daycare and family day home programs during regular school hours. The monthly parent fees will be set at $326.25 per month for full-time care, which is equivalent to $15 per day. Part-time care will be priced at $230.00 per month. This change aims to provide more predictable and affordable child care costs for Alberta families.
Preschool Program Fee Reduction
While subsidies will no longer be available for children in licensed preschool programs starting April 1, 2025, these programs will offer a reduction of up to $100 off their stated monthly child care fees. This measure is intended to help maintain affordability for preschool education.
Continued Support for Out-of-School Care
It’s important to note that the subsidy program for children in full-time kindergarten through Grade 6 enrolled in licensed programs outside of regular school hours (out-of-school care), including extended hours, will remain unchanged. Applications for this group will continue to be accepted as usual under the Alberta health care subsidy program guidelines.
Affordability Grants for Child Care Providers
Licensed child care providers who offer care to children up to kindergarten age will continue to receive the Affordability Grant. This grant helps to support the overall affordability of child care services in Alberta. For more detailed information about these grants, please visit the Affordability Grants website.
Renewal and Application Information
Families currently receiving child care subsidies are able to renew their applications until March 31, 2025. After this date, new subsidy applications will primarily be focused on children in full-time kindergarten through Grade 6 who require out-of-school care.
Eligible families with existing subsidies can submit renewal applications for children aged 0 to Grade 6 who are enrolled in various licensed child care settings, including:
- Licensed facility-based programs (daycares, out-of-school care, and preschools)
- Family day home programs overseen by a licensed agency
- Group family child care centers
These changes to the Alberta health care subsidy program represent a significant shift in how child care is funded and accessed in the province. Families are encouraged to review these updates carefully and prepare for the upcoming changes effective in 2025.
