Child Care Subsidy Changes Effective Feb. 1

Changes to Nova Scotia’s Child Care Subsidy Program, effective Feb. 1 means eligible families across the province will receive more funding toward the cost of regulated child care.

“The enhanced child care subsidy program will make child care more accessible and affordable for about 1,600 eligible children,” said Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We’re increasing the income threshold for families, and for the first time, making the child care subsidy available to children in part-day programs.”

Changes to the program include:
— increasing the income threshold from $25,000 to $35,000 so that 550 more children will be eligible to receive the maximum child care subsidy
— increasing the subsidy for families who make $35,000 to $70,000, to support 675 more children
— for the first time, part-day programs are eligible for the subsidy, to support an estimated 375 children

Families who now receive the child care subsidy will be notified about their rate change by their regulated child care provider.

People who are interested in learning more about the subsidy, including how to apply and eligibility criteria, can find more information at www.ednet.ns.ca or by calling toll-free 1-844-804-2084.

“For too many families, the absence of affordable and quality child care services means making difficult choices such as using retirement savings early, abandoning a career or delaying new training or work opportunities,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. “Through the Canada-Nova Scotia early learning and child care bilateral agreement signed in January, we are working together to better support children and their families so that more parents can afford quality early learning and child care.”

In January 2018, the province signed a three-year, $35-million early learning and child care funding agreement with the Government of Canada. A portion of that funding has been designated to support the changes to the child care subsidy.