According to the Child Care Directors Association of Southwest Alberta, members of the association are deeply frustrated and disappointed by the Government of Alberta’s unexpected announcement regarding the $15 per day childcare program.
As of Apr. 1, parents with children from zero to Kindergarten age attending full-time licensed daycare facilities and family day home programs across the province will be eligible for a flat parent fee of roughly $15 a day.
This is part of a $3.8-billion Canada-Alberta Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
While Alberta already reduced parent fees to an average of $15 a day in January last year, many families are still paying much more depending on where they live, the age of their child and the childcare provider they choose, which has led to inconsistency and confusion.
To support these changes and high-quality childcare, about 85 per cent of licensed daycare providers will receive a funding increase, once the new fee structure is in place Apr. 1.
Despite previous commitments from the Alberta government that childcare operators would be informed of upcoming changes before they were made public, “we were completely blindsided by this announcement. This lack of transparency is not only disrespectful to childcare providers, but also creates unnecessary confusion for the families we serve,” notes Bailee Procee, association secretary.
Adding to the frustration, members of the association were scheduled to receive this information at a town hall meeting. “Instead, we learned about these significant changes through a live press conference, leaving us scrambling to answer the influx of emails, phone calls and in-person questions from concerned families — without having the details we were promised,” adds Procee.
Procee says it’s unacceptable the government failed to notify the association in advance or respect the planned consultation process. “Clear and timely communication is essential to maintaining stability and trust within the childcare sector, yet this disregard for our role as frontline providers continues to create uncertainty.”
The Alberta government also announced a new $53-million grant to create affordable childcare spaces in the province. Both the provincial and federal governments are investing in this initiative over two years with the Building Blocks Capital Grant Program.
