Nova Scotia achieves 50% reduction in child care fees through Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement

For too long, families have faced high monthly child care fees, long waitlists and too few high quality child care options. That is why the Government of Canada, together with provincial and territorial partners, is making access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive child care a reality, giving children the best possible start and making life more affordable for families across Canada.

Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, and Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Becky Druhan, announced that the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia will meet their shared goal to reduce regulated child care fees for families in Nova Scotia by an average of 50 per cent by the end of this year.

Licensed child care fees in Nova Scotia were already reduced by 25 per cent on average effective January 1, 2022. Effective December 31, 2022, fees are being reduced by an additional 25 per cent on average. These savings will apply for parents with children up to six years old in regulated child care centres that are part of the Canada-wide early learning and child care system. For example, with a 50 per cent reduction in fees, parents or guardians will pay $23 less per day for an infant in full-time licensed child-care, which is a savings of about $500 a month or $6000 a year.

Building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that works for families in every region of the country is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan to make life more affordable for families, while also creating good jobs, and growing the economy.