For too long, families have faced high monthly childcare fees, long waitlists and too few high-quality childcare options.
That’s why the Government of Canada, together with provincial and territorial partners, is making access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive child care a reality, giving children the best possible start and making life more affordable for families across Canada.
The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have announced they will meet their shared goal to reduce regulated childcare fees for families in Nova Scotia by an average of 50 percent by the end of this year.
This follows the childcare agreement signed by the Liberal provincial government in 2021. As a result, licensed childcare fees in Nova Scotia were reduced by 25 percent on average effective January 1, 2022.
Effective December 31, 2022, fees are being reduced by an additional 25 percent on average. These savings will apply to parents with children up to six years old in regulated childcare centres that are part of the Canada-wide early learning and childcare system. For example, with a 50 percent reduction in fees, parents or guardians will pay $23 less per day for an infant in full-time licensed child care, which is a savings of about $500 a month or $6000 a year.
Building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that works for families in every region of the country is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan to make life more affordable for families, while also creating good jobs, and growing the economy.
Click here for the news release.
Quick Facts:
- the fee reduction estimates in licensed, funded child-care centres and regulated family home child-care programs are based on 2019 average fees
- licensed centres that sign their amended annual funding agreement, which reflects the principles of the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, will be provided with full funding to offset the additional fee reduction
- regulated family home child-care programs will be provided with full funding to offset the additional fee reduction
- by the end of 2022, about 1,100 new child-care spaces are expected to have been created in licensed child-care centres and family child-care homes, and in the before and after school program