Why some Alberta parents are paying more than $15 a day for child care

Sarah Reid · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 9:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Some Alberta parents are frustrated that the caller $15 flat-rate interest for daycare is not making kid attraction immoderate cheaper.

As of April 1, Alberta has introduced a flat monthly genitor interest of $326.25 for full-time licensed kid care, oregon astir $15 a day, for children up to kindergarten age.

Part of a $3.8-billion aboriginal learning and child-care statement betwixt Alberta and the national government, the programme volition spot the provincial authorities screen astir 80 per cent of child-care fees, done grants to providers.

"Initially erstwhile I heard the the announcement, I thought it was great," said Cozy Kumaria, an Edmonton parent of two.

"And past we got a follow-up email saying that meals volition outgo extra, and present outgo $230 per kid [per month]."

Kumaria said the supplementary interest imposed by her daycare means her family volition present wage much for childcare than they did earlier the instauration of the level fee.

"[The provincial program] has not made things easier for each parents. It has really been an incredibly stressful 2 to 3 weeks of maine having to woody with this change. I've been going betwixt the daycare, the authorities and licensing, and cipher has immoderate answers."

Kumaria said immoderate of her vexation comes from not knowing wherefore her daycare is charging her much for a work that was antecedently included, and proceeding that not each daycares are charging the aforesaid amounts.

Matt Jones, Alberta's curate of jobs, system and trade, acknowledged successful a connection to CBC News that immoderate parents "may experience an summation successful fees nether the caller flat-rate system."

The changes are designed to supply much consistency and transparency successful pricing, the connection added.

Understanding extra fees

Krystal Churcher, co-chair of ACE National, a radical that advocates connected behalf of immoderate backstage daycare operators, said the summation successful fees is simply a direct result of the alteration successful the backing operation associated with the caller program.

"There seems to beryllium a deficiency of transparent accusation erstwhile these programs are rolled out, which creates a batch of disorder for providers and families," Churcher said.

"This information of this statement has not been transparently communicated," she said. "We are transitioning from what I would telephone a 'full service' child-care strategy to a 'core' child-care system."

Churcher compared the caller programme to a "discount airline" backing exemplary that lone covers the basics.

"It conscionable includes your basal core-level 'discount airline' exemplary of kid care, which would beryllium the resources and programming successful spot to marque definite your kid is harmless and cared for, but thing supra that," she said.

Anything extra — meals, tract trips, enhanced learning programs similar euphony and learning, and individualized attraction —will present travel astatine an added outgo to the supplier oregon parents, she said. 

"As a child-care operator, nary of america privation to beryllium successful a concern wherever we are having to fundamentally hustle broadside services of things that we consciousness beryllium successful our programs, but are nary longer funded," Churcher said.

"It's not a bully presumption to beryllium in, connected either side." 

The enactment to opt out

Daycare providers tin acceptable their ain prices for supplementary services, arsenic agelong arsenic parents are allowed to opt out. Churcher said those fees whitethorn alteration owed to the provider's operating costs, including rent and staffing. 

Kumaria is frustrated that strict rules astir nutrient marque it hard for parents to debar paying the monthly interest for meals.

She said her daycare is requiring parents to database each constituent successful each repast and snack sent from home.

She said she was besides told determination would beryllium nary refrigeration oregon unit disposable to re-heat the beverage she sends with her 15-month-old son. 

"Our kids merit amended than that. Yes, I privation cheaper daycare but not astatine the disbursal of prime of attraction for my child," she said.

"These daycares are conscionable trying to marque it by, financially, but the world is that either they are going to devour the cost, oregon parents do."

CBC requested the state respond to the concerns astir supplementary fees.

The connection from Jones said that with the the caller level monthly fee, providers tin complaint supplemental fees for optional services specified arsenic meals and tract trips.

"This opt-in argumentation means much flexibility for parents who request further services, and cost-savings for parents who trust connected affordable, accessible kid care," the connection said.

Kumaria said she wants the state to see parents and daycare providers successful consultation earlier making sweeping changes.

Churcher agreed. 

"This program, and the underfunding of it, federally and provincially, is going to trim quality," she said.

She said she wishes determination had been consultation with "children astatine the bosom of it, due to the fact that this programme doesn't speech astir children."