Federal Families and Children minister Karina Gould is flanked by (L-R) federal Tourism minister Randy Boissonault, provincial Children Services minister Mickey Amery, and Provincial Municipal Affairs minister Rebecca Schulz. Photo courtesy Government of Alberta

By Jeff Henson

CHILD CARE

New funding framework opens door to additional private child care spaces in Alberta

Jan 31, 2023 | 6:18 PM

Alberta parents will soon have more options for licensed child care providers after Tuesday’s announcement of a Cost Control Framework nd For-Profit Expansion plan by the federal and provincial governments.

Under the framework, 22,500 additional licensed private child care spaces in Alberta will be eligible for funding supports over the next three years.

Alberta Children Services minister Mickey Amery says around 1,600 of those new private child care spots are eligible for funding almost immediately.

“The nearly 16-hundred spaces that I mentioned earlier have been reviewed for eligibility, and are ready to begin operations or are near being ready. So those sixteen hundred spaces are from operators who are ready to go, and that is why we are going to begin with those. We do have other applications that are currently being reviewed, and they will come shortly.”

Federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Karina Gould says through the framework, costs and earnings of child care businesses will be reasonable, and surplus earnings will be directed towards improving services in Alberta.

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“We want all families with children in licensed spaces to be able to reap the benefits of more affordable child care. And with the Cost Control Framework and For-Profit Expansion Plan, Alberta will create a total of 68,700 new child care spaces across the province.”

The additional private child care spaces are on top of the 42,500 non-profit child care spaces pledged to be created through an agreement signed in 2021.

According to Federal Tourism minister and Edmonton Centre M-P Randy Boissonault, expanding the number of child care spaces in Alberta has benefits.

“I am excited for what this means for us to have more women and parents entering the workforce. Adding to what Minister Gould said, child care is not just a social policy, it is also an economic one.”

“And as this province is scheduled to lead the country in economic growth over the next 2-3 years, we need all the workers that we can. And child care is a great enabler of getting more people into the workforce.” added Boissonault.