We are committed to building a child care system that is affordable, inclusive, and accessible through the Canada-Wide Child Care Agreement.
Learn more here.
Effective December 31, 2022, families will receive an additional 25 per cent fee reduction on average, bringing total reductions to an average of 50 per cent, helping to ease the financial burden for families.
This change will help parents and guardians with infants, toddlers and preschoolers across the province.ed to a total of 50 per cent by the end of 2022, with fees moving to, $10 a day, on average, by 2026.
Stay in the know.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest information about changes to Nova Scotia's early learning and childcare system.
See the most recent updates here.
As part of the Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, our province is starting a five-year journey to build a system of child care that is affordable, inclusive, and accessible. Our vision is child care that cares for everyone – children, families, operators, and early childhood educators.
New Child Care Spaces
An increase in licensed child care spaces means more child care options for families that are high-quality, affordable and offer peace of mind. The province is creating 1,500 new licensed child care spaces across Nova Scotia through renovations to existing sites and at new sites. The new spaces may include infant, toddler and preschool spaces.
New child care spaces opening by this winter
| Operator | Description | Community (County) | Spaces (range) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayers Westwood Day Care Centre | Renovation | Halifax (Halifax) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Cunard Street Children's Centre | Renovation | Peninsula (Halifax) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Dartmouth Day Care Centre | Renovation | Dartmouth East (Halifax) | 31-40 | ||||||||
| Dr. Jane Norman Child Study Centre | Renovation | Truro (Colchester) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Dr. Jane Norman Child Study Centre – Douglas Street | New Location | Truro (Colchester) | 31-40 | ||||||||
| Dr. Jane Norman Child Study Centre – Infant Centre | New Location | Truro (Colchester) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| East Preston Day Care Centre | Renovation | East Preston (Halifax) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| East Preston Day Care Centre – AKOMA | New Location | East Preston (Halifax) | 51-60 | ||||||||
| Edward Jost Children's Centre | Renovation | Spryfield (Halifax) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Edward Jost Children's Centre Annex | New Location | Spryfield (Halifax) | 71-80 | ||||||||
| First Lake Early Learning Centre Society | Renovation | Lower Sackville (Halifax) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Learning Grove Child Care Centre | New Location | Digby (Digby) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Little People's Place of Shelburne Association | Renovation | St. Andrews, Shelburne (Shelburne) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Little People's Place of Shelburne Association | New Location | King St., Shelburne (Shelburne) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Lower Onslow Playschool Association | Renovation | Lower Onslow (Colchester) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Lower Sackville Nursey School | Renovation | Lower Sackville (Halifax) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Lunenburg Day Care Centre | Renovation | Lunenburg (Lunenburg) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Maritime Muslim Academy | New Location | Wolfville (Kings) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Maritime Muslim Academy | New Location | Antigonish (Antigonish) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Maritime Muslim Academy | New Location | Clayton Park (Halifax) | 91-100 | ||||||||
| Maritime Muslim Academy Preschool | Renovation | Peninsula (Halifax) | 41-50 | ||||||||
| Munro Academy Early Learning Centre | Renovation | Sydney Mines (Cape Breton) | 51-60 | ||||||||
| Needham Early Learning Centre | New Location | Northend Halifax (Halifax) | 51-60 | ||||||||
| Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Educators | New Location | Northend Halifax (Halifax) | 31-40 | ||||||||
| Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Educators | New Location | Port Hawkesbury (Inverness) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Playschool Day Care Centre | Renovation | New Waterford (Cape Breton) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Queens Day Care Association | Renovation | Liverpool (Queens) | 61-70 | ||||||||
| Taigh Cùraim Day Care Society | Renovation | Baddeck (Victoria) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Taigh Cùraim Day Care Society | New Location | Ingonish (Victoria) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Taigh Cùraim Day Care Society | New Location | Bay St. Lawrence (Victoria) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| The Fox & The Hare Daycare | Renovation | Lockeport (Shelburne) | 1-10 | ||||||||
| Through the Years Day Care & Community Centre | Renovation | Hubbards (Lunenburg) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Town Daycare Centre | Renovation | Glace Bay (Cape Breton) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Whitney Pier Day Care Centre | Renovation | Sydney (Cape Breton) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Windsor Day Care Centre | Renovation | Windsor (Hants) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Windsor Day Care Centre | New Location | Windsor (Hants) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Windsor Nursey School | Renovation | Windsor (Hants) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Cumberland YMCA Early Learning Centre | New Location | Oxford (Cumberland) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| YMCA Halifax | New Location | Fall River (Halifax) | 81-90 | ||||||||
| YWCA Early Learning & Childcare Centre | New Location | Tatamagouche (Colchester) | 51-60 | ||||||||
| La P'tite Academie Societe | Renovation | Church Point (Digby) | 31-40 | ||||||||
| Le Jardin des Petits | Renovation | Tusket (Yarmouth) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Le Jardin des Petits | New Location | Wedgeport (Yarmouth) | 21-30 | ||||||||
| Centre de la Petite Enfance de la Rive-Sud | Renovation | Cookville (Lunenburg) | 11-20 | ||||||||
| Papillons & Pissenlits | Renovation | Pubnico (Yarmouth) | 1-10 | ||||||||
Family Home Child Care
| Operator | Community (County) | Number of Homes* | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Breton Family Place Family Home Child Care Agency | Inverness, Victoria, Cape Breton, Richmond | 12 | |||||||||
| Family Home Child Care Society | Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Halifax | 12 | |||||||||
| Jane Norman College Family Home Child Care Agency | Colchester, Cumberland | 12 | |||||||||
| Chebucto Family Centre Home Child Care Agency | Halifax | 5 | |||||||||
| Family Matters Family Home Child Care Agency | Annapolis, Lunenburg | 5 | |||||||||
| Kings County Family Resource Centre Home Child Care Agency | Kings, West Hants | 7 | |||||||||
| Garderie Familiale de Clare (La) | Halifax, Cape Breton | 10 | |||||||||
*Each Family Home can care for 3 infants or up to 6 children up to 18 months and older.
How it works: 50 per cent fee reduction
After December 31, fee reductions will be applied directly to child care bills. The daily fee reduction amounts are:
| Jan 1, 2022 Average Fee Reduction ($) | Dec 31, 2022 Average Fee Reduction ($) | Total Average 50% Fee Reductions ($) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Child Care Centres | |||
| Infant | 10.50 | 12.50 | 23.00 |
| Toddler | 9.00 | 9.25 | 18.25 |
| Preschool: Full Day | 8.75 | 9.50 | 18.25 |
| Preschool: Part Day | 3.75 | 0.75 | 4.50 |
| School Age: Full Day | 6.75 | 3.25 | 10.00 |
| School Age: Before and After | 5.00 | 1.00 | 6.00 |
| School Age: After Only | 4.00 | 0.50 | 4.50 |
| School Age: Before Only | 3.00 | 0.00 | 3.00 |
| Family Home Child Care | |||
| Infant | 8.50 | 8.50 | 17.00 |
| Toddler | 8.25 | 8.25 | 16.50 |
| Preschool: Full Day | 8.25 | 8.25 | 16.50 |
| School Age: Full Day | 8.25 | 8.25 | 16.50 |
| School Age: Before and After | 5.00 | 1.00 | 6.00 |
| School Age: After Only | 4.00 | 0.00 | 4.00 |
| School Age: Before Only | 3.00 | 0.00 | 3.00 |
| Nova Scotia Before and After Programs | |||
| School Age: Before and After | 4.25 | 0.00 | 4.25 |
| School Age: After Only | 3.25 | 0.00 | 3.25 |
| School Age: Before Only | 1.50 | 0.00 | 1.50 |
Eligibility
Licensed centres that sign their amended annual funding agreement, which reflects the principles of the Canada-wide agreement, will be provided with full funding to offset the additional fee reduction. Regulated family home child care programs will be provided with full funding to offset the additional fee reduction.
Child Care Subsidy
Families that receive support from the Province's Child Care Subsidy Program will continue to receive subsidy coverage in addition to the fee reduction. Please reach out to your caseworker or child care centre if you have any concerns.
Parent choice
As a parent, you will always have choice in who provides care for your child. As we advance our work under the Canada-Wide Agreement, parents will continue to have choice. If you would like help in finding a space that can provide you with the fee reduction, please reach out: ECDServices@NovaScotia.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
Stay in know. Sign up for our newsletter. Sign-up