The provincial government has partnered with the federal government to reduce out-of-pocket child-care costs for families.

Starting June 1, a standardized low-fee model will determine the amount operators can charge families. Families with children aged five and under attending designated facilities can expect the average out-of-pocket costs for full-day early learning and care to be reduced by 50 per cent.

The Parent Subsidy program has also been adapted to reflect the new low-fee model. It will continue to support low- and middle-income families by further reducing out-of-pocket costs.

When combined with the Parent Subsidy, the new low-fee model could reduce a family’s child-care costs by about $14 per day on average, depending on their household income. This could reduce annual child-care costs by about $3,900 per child for New Brunswick families. As of June 1, the provincial average daily cost of preschool care will fall to $12.82 from the current $25.21.

The department will continue working with operators over the next four years to ensure they have the resources they need, including support for early childhood educators’ training, recruitment and retention.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development also launched its new engagement website today. From late spring until fall 2022, department staff will hold a series of one-on-one meetings, focus groups and working groups, and conduct surveys to build an action plan for 2023-26.

These discussions will focus on how the needs of families can best be met by increasing access to and quality of preschool education. Written submissions will be accepted until the end of June.

The federal-provincial funding agreement invests $544 million over five years, aiming to provide New Brunswick families with $10 per day child care, on average, by 2026. The federal government is providing nearly $492 million while the provincial government is contributing $53 million. This is in addition to the more than $70 million invested annually in the province’s early learning and child-care sector.