A new Canada-New Brunswick Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement will mean a reduction in fees for families with preschool-aged children.
They can expect an average 50 per cent reduction in out-of-pocket fees beginning on June 1st.
The announcement was made on Monday in Fredericton.
The federal-provincial funding agreement invests $544 million over five years, aiming to provide New Brunswick families with $10 per day child care, on average, by 2026. The federal government is providing nearly $492 million while the provincial government is contributing $53 million. This is in addition to the more than $70 million invested annually in the province’s early learning and child-care sector.
A standardized low-fee model will determine the amount operators can charge families. Families with children aged five and under attending designated facilities can expect the following reductions to average out-of-pocket costs for full-day early learning and care:
- From $37.50 to $19 per day for infants in small urban and rural areas
- From $41.30 to $21 per day for infants in large urban areas
- From between $32.60 and $31.30 to $16 per day for preschool-aged children in small urban and rural areas
- From between $36.70 and $35 to $18 per day for preschool-aged children in urban areas
When combined with the Parent Subsidy, the new low-fee model could reduce a family’s child-care costs by about $14 per day on average, depending on their household income. This could reduce annual child-care costs by about $3,900 per child for New Brunswick families. As of June 1, the provincial average daily cost of preschool care will fall to $12.82 from the current $25.21.
The department will continue working with operators over the next four years to ensure they have the resources they need, including support for early childhood educators’ training, recruitment and retention.
The federal government says by the end of March 2026, all families in Canada will have access to regulated early learning and child care for an average of $10 a day.
“The reduction of fees announced today in New Brunswick is a meaningful step toward achieving that goal and will make a real difference for families across the province. We will continue to work with New Brunswick to help ensure that children have access to the high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care they need to succeed,” said federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Karina Gould.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development also launched its new engagement website. From late spring until fall 2022, department staff will hold a series of one-on-one meetings, focus groups and working groups, and conduct surveys to build an action plan for 2023-26.
These discussions will focus on how the needs of families can best be met by increasing access to and quality of preschool education. Written submissions will be accepted until the end of June.
