Alberta Affordability grant for Child Care

What Is the Alberta Affordability Grant? 

The Alberta Affordability Grant helps reduce child care costs for families with children enrolled in eligible licensed child care programs.

Through Alberta’s affordability funding system, participating daycare centres, family day homes, and preschool programs can offer reduced parent fees, helping make high-quality child care more affordable across the province.

The program primarily supports children from birth to kindergarten age and has replaced the previous income-based child care subsidy model for most younger children.

Whether you’re exploring daycare options for the first time or looking for more affordable child care, understanding how the Alberta Affordability Grant works can help you make informed decisions for your family. 

Our two main childcare services include flexible drop in daycare and dependable Regular hours daycare in Calgary for busy families. 

How the Alberta Affordability Grant Works

Alberta’s affordability funding program reduces the amount families pay for licensed child care by providing funding directly to participating providers.

Current reduced parent fees include:

Eligible preschool programs may also receive funding to help reduce monthly program fees.

This approach gives families more predictable child care costs and makes budgeting easier throughout the year. 

This approach gives families more predictable child care costs and makes budgeting easier throughout the year. To better understand the full picture, you can also review this guide to child care expenses in Alberta. 

Who Qualifies for the Alberta Affordability Grant?

Families may qualify for reduced parent fees when:

Because eligibility requirements can change, families should confirm current details with their child care provider. 

Benefits of Alberta’s Affordability Funding Program

Families enrolled in eligible licensed child care programs can benefit from:

• Reduced monthly child care fees
  • More predictable daycare costs
  • Access to licensed early learning programs
  • Flexible full-time and part-time care options
  • High-quality child care in regulated learning environments

For many Alberta families, the affordability funding program has made licensed child care more accessible and easier to budget for. 

We offer daycare programs in Calgary for different age groups, including:

• infant daycare in Calgary
• Toddler childcare in Calgary
• Preschool daycare in Calgary
• Kindergarten childcare in Calgary 

What’s the Difference Between the Affordability Grant and Child Care Subsidy?

Many parents use the terms “grant” and “subsidy” interchangeably, but they are different programs designed to support families in different situations.

The Affordability Grant helps reduce parent fees for children up to kindergarten age, while additional financial assistance may still be available through separate subsidy programs for eligible families. 

We currently provide daycare services in three main Calgary locations:

• Daycare University District
• Daycare Glamorgan Calgary
• childcare Aspen Glen Calgary 

What About Out-of-School Care? 

The Alberta Affordability Grant primarily supports children up to kindergarten age.

Families with children enrolled in licensed out-of-school care (OSC) programs may still qualify for separate financial assistance through Alberta’s child care subsidy programs, depending on eligibility requirements.

Because funding programs may change over time, families should review the latest Alberta government information for the most up-to-date eligibility details. 

Families with children enrolled in licensed out-of-school care (OSC) programs may still qualify for separate financial assistance through the Alberta child care subsidy, depending on eligibility requirements.

How to Access Reduced Parent Fees 

In most cases, families do not need to complete a separate application for the Alberta Affordability Grant.

Reduced parent fees are generally applied directly through participating licensed child care providers.

Before enrolling, families should:

• Confirm the provider is licensed
  • Verify participation in Alberta’s affordability funding system
  • Review program fees and enrollment requirements
  • Ask about any additional costs that may apply

These simple steps can help families better understand their child care options and expected monthly costs. 

Finding Affordable Child Care in Calgary 

Choosing a licensed child care provider that participates in Alberta’s affordability funding program can help families access reduced parent fees while ensuring children benefit from a safe, supportive, and enriching learning environment.

Clever Daycare participates in Alberta’s affordability funding program and offers licensed child care programs designed to support children through every stage of early learning and development.

If you’re exploring affordable daycare options in Calgary, our team is happy to answer questions about enrollment, program availability, and child care fees.