Affordable Childcare
#atwhatcost
The True Costs of the Canada Wide Early Learning and Childcare Program
Join our national community of like-minded operators.
National Waitlist Campaign
We have prepared a package to be sent out to all parents on your waitlist to encourage them to consider registering to attend our national parent conference on June 19, focussing upon concerns with accessibility.
They will also be invited to complete a parent survey and to join our Parents’ Waitlist Facebook page.
Canadian Childcare Champions:
United Advocacy for Accessible, Quality & Sustainable Childcare
National Operators' Conference - April 30, 2024
On April 30, 2024, the Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs (AACE) hosted a sold out National Conference for Advocacy with operators nationwide addressing challenges stemming from the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement.
Key concerns discussed include waitlists, limited parental choice, childcare quality, and unintended consequences. Operators highlighted growing waitlists and suggested a sliding scale for fees. The CWELCC was criticized for limiting parental choice and impacting childcare quality due to underfunding and staffing issues.
Operators expressed frustration and burnout, urging for meaningful changes and more stakeholder involvement. They discussed potential actions, including rolling closures, to raise awareness and advocate for necessary reforms, with a need for urgent action to prevent lasting damage to the childcare sector.
Upcoming Events
Parents Unite Conference: Navigating Access across Canada
Wednesday, June 19 at 10:00am MST
Impact of the Affordability Grant on
OPERATORS
#atwhatcost
Cash Flow
Under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program, child care operators are confronted with substantial financial challenges. Mandated reductions in parent fees significantly decrease operators' income while they are still expected to maintain high-quality care. This creates a situation where providing consistent, high-standard care becomes financially strenuous. The sustainability of this model is a major concern, as it demands maintaining quality without sufficient financial support.
Inflation
Child care operators are facing mounting financial pressures as parent fees are frozen at lower rates while inflation continues to rise. This disconnect means that government assistance provided under the program is not keeping pace with the increasing costs of running a child care facility, such as wages, utilities, and supplies. The result is a growing gap between the cost of providing high-quality care and the funding available to support it.
Administrative Burden
The administrative cost imposed on all models of operators to administer the government program averages between $20 to $30 per child per month. For instance, considering an average childcare centre in Alberta with 100 children at a cost of $25 per child, the monthly expense totals $2,500. Over the 24 months since signing into this agreement, the cumulative cost amounts to $60,000. These ongoing administrative expenses present an additional financial burden for operators navigating the complexities of the program.
erosion of operational control
Operators within the childcare industry are grappling with a palpable loss of autonomy attributed to government overreach. This interference has led to the centralization of publicly funded childcare, bringing forth ominous cost controls. As a consequence, operators find themselves on the brink of complete loss of control over the unique programs they once ran independently. The shift toward centralized control not only undermines the diverse and individualized approaches operators bring to their programs but also raises concerns about the long-term sustainability and quality of childcare services under this constrained framework.
Quality & Inclusivity
As child care operators grapple with frozen fees and inadequate government assistance that fails to match inflation under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program, they are forced into difficult financial decisions. Cost-cutting measures, such as reducing staffing levels and minimizing expenditures on essentials like quality food and educational materials, become inevitable. These reductions can directly impact the quality of care and educational outcomes for children. Moreover, such constraints also hinder inclusivity, as programs with specialized staff or resources for children with diverse needs are being scaled back to manage costs. This cost-pressure scenario threatens the core objectives of the CWELCC initiative—quality and accessible child care for all families.
ACCess
Access to child care remains a significant issue under the program, despite efforts to make it more affordable and widespread. With frozen fees and insufficient subsidies failing to cover rising operational costs, many providers are unable to expand or even sustain the number of available spaces. Consequently, this leads to massive waitlists as demand continues to outstrip supply. Parents, especially in high-demand urban areas or underserved rural locations, find themselves facing lengthy delays in securing child care spots for their children, complicating their return to work and other personal planning. This bottleneck undermines the program's goal of improving accessibility to quality child care across all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Impact of the Affordability Grant on
FAMILIES
#atwhatcost
Reliable Childcare
We anticipate challenges to maintain additional educators for coverage. When an educator is unavailable, childcare services may be impacted.
Reduce Operational Hours
We may need to modify our operational hours based on employee availability to optimize resources and uphold the quality of childcare services.
SUPPLIES & PROGRAMMING
Within a commitment to upholding quality services, adjustments of supplies and extra programming may need to be implemented to manage our budget effectively.
Personal childcare operators, parents, and other
Stories
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John doe
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John doe
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John doe
Fostering
CHOICE AND ACCESS
A balance between affordable childcare for Canadian families
that is still sustainable for operators.
We are dedicated to providing high-quality childcare services.
We acknowledge the financial challenges that many of our families are currently navigating.
We are committed to the
well-being of our families.
Fostering Choice and Access:
A balance between affordable childcare for Alberta families
that is still sustainable for operators
What destinations do you offer tours to?
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What is included in your tour packages?
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Can I customize the duration of my tour?
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What is the group size for your tours?
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What is your cancellation and refund policy?
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