ECELC - Still Unaffordable for Low-Income Families? In Alberta’s new child care system, out-of-pocket fee reductions are smaller for lower-income families

The Government of Alberta has released its plan to reduce child care fees in Alberta by an average of 50% by early 2022. Under this plan, every family’s out-of-pocket fees will decrease, but lower-income families will not see a 50% decrease—and some may see a decrease of less than 15%. As a result, child care may still be unaffordable for lower-income families under the new system. This brief examines why these uneven effects are happening and offers three policy options for changing this situation. 

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