Lower child care fees for families

The child care subsidy program helps families with children 12 years or younger pay for licensed child care. Families with children 5 years or younger are eligible for the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan and child care subsidy. Subsidy can lower your child care costs even more and provide free care for some families.

Before applying for subsidy, you can check your eligibility.

How we calculate fees

Whether you have a subsidized child care fee is determined through the provincially mandated income test.

If you have a subsidized child care fee, your total child care fee will be divided equally between your children (if you have more than one child). If your children attend different child care locations, you must pay a child care fee to each location they attend.

If you have any children that qualify under the new Canada child care plan, your subsidized child care fee for them will be 50% lower until they turn 6 years if they attend a participating licensed child care provider.

Once your child turns 6 years, your subsidized child care fee will increase since that child no longer qualifies for lower fees under the new Canada child care plan.

You will not get the 50% lower fees to your subsidized child care while your children attend a camp program, as defined under the Child Care and Early Years Act. These camp programs are not child care and can not participate in the new Canada child care plan.

Optional for child care providers

Participating in the new Canada child care plan is optional for child care providers. If your provider chooses not to participate, you will not be eligible to receive lower child care fee for your children 5 years or younger.

Participating licensed child care providers

If you have questions

Speak to your child care provider if you have questions about their participation in the new Canada child care plan.

We will answer questions about your subsidy eligibility and child care fee through the subsidy application process.