Families have endured exorbitant monthly childcare costs, protracted waitlists, and an inadequate number of high-quality childcare options for far too long. To provide kids with the most outstanding possible start and to make a living more affordable for families across Canada, the Canadian government is working with provincial and territorial partners to make access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care a reality. The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia today announced that they would achieve their joint goal of reducing regulated childcare fees for families in Nova Scotia by an average of 50% by the end of this year. The announcement was made by Ministers of Families, Children, and Social Development Karina Gould and Becky Druhan of Nova Scotia.
Starting on January 1, 2022, licensed childcare costs in Nova Scotia will be cut by an average of 25%. Fees will typically be decreased by an additional 25% starting on December 31, 2022. Parents of children under the age of six who are enrolled in licensed childcare facilities that are a part of the country’s early learning and childcare system are eligible for these savings. An infant in full-time licensed child care, for instance, would cost parents or guardians $23 less per day with a 50% price decrease, saving them roughly $500 per month or $6000 annually. “This is a crucial turning point in the effort to make childcare more accessible and affordable for families. We are aware that child care is frequently the single largest monthly expense for families, particularly those with several children. Families require child care that is both cheap and available when and where they need it more than ever. For this reason, we are modernizing Nova Scotia’s child care system and giving families more financial security,” said the Honourable Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development