Editor’s note: A day after publishing this story, Alberta and the federal government signed a one-year extension of its subsidized child-care program.
The rising costs of living cause significant pain for parents, especially those with children who need affordable childcare.
Rachel Kert, a Calgary mother who works full-time, is a parent who experiences these major pains firsthand.
“It’s tough, really tough. As a single mom, it keeps getting more difficult to maintain a stress-free life,” said Kert.
She lives in the southwestern part of the city, close to Chinook Mall, and works as a substitute teacher in the Northeast.
Not only does she have to monitor her spending daily, says Kert, but she also has to ask her work to constantly adjust her hours so she can be at home to meet her three kids.
“I have to keep asking my managers for different schedules almost every week because of the times my kids leave the daycare,“ said Kert.
In January, the provincial government capped the cost of daycare to $326.25 per month for children up to kindergarten age.
The federal government also recently capped funding for the number of eligible spots available to for-profit child-care providers in Alberta.
Increasing Alberta population needs more daycare spots
In addition to the funding uncertainties, there’s also a growing demnd for daycare.
Calgary had a population of 1.6 million in 2024, the largest city in the province. The population of Calgary increased by 6.14 per cent year-over-year and by 18 per cent over the last 5 years. An increase in population means more children, who in turn need daycare.
Alberta also has the highest fertility rate in the country, leading to population growth and eventually a need for more daycare.
Daycare operators worry about provincial and federal spending on daycare
Government-subsidized daycare is welcome, says Kert, but some daycare operators say the cap makes it hard for them to provide daycare for every child.
Nav Kamal, with Heartland Agency, a non-profit organization that helps vulnerable children with early learning childcare and special education services, says the provincial spending shortcomings add unneeded pressure.
“It does not cover all the costs for some of the other daycares around the city. But as an agency, we have been really mindful of keeping our nutrition program running along, so we are supporting the families,” said Kamal.
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“I think at this time, I feel like maybe the non-profit organization should be prioritized. That’s just my own belief that just knowing the quality programs and what all the programs bring for families and children,” said Kamal.
“Obviously, like the staff here in general, they would provide the same level of care regardless of the funding they get, or that doesn’t affect them,” added Kamal.
Since the announcement of the fee cap, daycare organizations have sought clarification from the government on future funding.
The head of the Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs recently told CTV News that communicating with both the federal and provincial government is “consistently disappointing.”
Alberta and the federal government have not extended the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement beyond next year.
For her part, Kert hopes elected officials do more to remedy the situation.
“I think it is time the government looks at the cost of childcare and funds the childcare tax adequately and considers using public education funding towards public-funded childcare centres,” said Kert.
