Mother Nature's Preschool (Photo courtesy Colton Mckee)

By Teagan Rasche

$25 a day ending

Daycare funding cuts a blow for parents and businesses

Mar 12, 2021 | 5:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A provincial program that offers daycare for $25 a day is coming to an end at the end of the month.

The Early Learning and Child Care pilot project that launched three years ago will end March 31. The project was launched by the NDP government as a way to address affordability and quality in Early Learning and Child Care programs.

“I’m self-employed and then this lining up right after COVID doesn’t help,” said Jessica Lawrence, a parent of a preschooler. “I’ve already been off work for a year and I should be getting back into work, but I can’t because these fees are going to go up.”

Lawrence is among parents in Medicine Hat struggling with the cost of child care in Alberta and for many, the costs will be higher.

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“All children matter and all children deserve the right to early childhood education and mothers especially. All parents shouldn’t have to choose between childcare and a career,” said Jennifer Paul, director and co-owner of Mother Nature Preschool.

The UCP decided to end the funding last year.

Coordinator of Medicine Hat and District Childcare Association, Jennifer Usher, says this is a really heavy burden on families, especially those in the middle-income bracket.

“Those on a lower income are going to be able to access subsidies,” Usher said. “But for those in that middle income that just miss the subsidy bracket, they’re really going to have a steep increase in their fees as of March 31.”

One mother says the $25 a day program was a blessing in disguise, otherwise she would’ve had to stop her career.

Fortunately, her daughter is starting kindergarten in the fall.

“If this was a long-term issue, we couldn’t make it work,” said Kailee Carnelli, a parent of a preschooler. “But because it’s short-term, we are fortunately just able to do it. Our fees have exactly doubled, it’s more than my mortgage.”

Many parents, including Justin Lawrence, also agree you want to make sure your child is also at a regulated business.

“What doesn’t make sense to me is you’re cutting off 50 per cent of the population that pay taxes. So why not invest in your people so you can earn 50 per cent or more on those taxes back,” Lawrence said.

The end of the project could also lead to job loss. Mother Nature’s Preschool says layoffs are a possibility as they already lost 25 per cent of their clients.

Although this program is coming to an end, there’s some transitional funding for select programs across Alberta. Parents have reached out to government officials but have not heard back.