Why some Alberta parents are paying more than $15 a day for child care

Some Alberta parents are frustrated that the new $15 flat-rate fee for daycare is not making child care any cheaper.

As of April 1, Alberta has introduced a flat monthly parent fee of $326.25 for full-time licensed child care, or about $15 a day, for children up to kindergarten age.

Part of a $3.8-billion early learning and child-care agreement between Alberta and the federal government, the program will see the provincial government cover about 80 per cent of child-care fees, through grants to providers.

"Initially when I heard the the announcement, I thought it was great," said Cozy Kumaria, an Edmonton mother of two.

"And then we got a follow-up email saying that meals will cost extra, and now cost $230 per child [per month]."

Kumaria said the supplementary fee imposed by her daycare means her family will now pay more for child care than they did before the introduction of the flat fee.

"[The provincial program] has not made things easier for all parents. It has actually been an incredibly stressful two to three weeks of me having to deal with this change. I've been going between the daycare, the government and licensing, and nobody has any answers."

Kumaria said some of her frustration comes from not understanding why her daycare is charging her more for a service that was previously included, and hearing that not all daycares are charging the same amounts.

Matt Jones, Alberta's minister of jobs, economy and trade, acknowledged in a statement to CBC News that some parents "may experience an increase in fees under the new flat-rate system."

The changes are designed to provide more consistency and transparency in pricing, the statement added.

Understanding extra fees

Krystal Churcher, co-chair of ACE National, a group that advocates on behalf of some private daycare operators, said the increase in fees is a direct result of the change in the funding structure associated with the new program.

"There seems to be a lack of transparent information when these programs are rolled out, which creates a lot of confusion for providers and families," Churcher said.

"This portion of this agreement has not been transparently communicated," she said. "We are transitioning from what I would call a 'full service' child-care system to a 'core' child-care system."

Churcher compared the new program to a "discount airline" funding model that only covers the basics.

"It just includes your basic core-level 'discount airline' model of child care, which would be the resources and programming in place to make sure your child is safe and cared for, but nothing above that," she said.

Anything extra — meals, field trips, enhanced learning programs like music and learning, and individualized attention —will now come at an added cost to the provider or parents, she said. 

"As a child-care operator, none of us want to be in a situation where we are having to essentially hustle side services of things that we feel belong in our programs, but are no longer funded," Churcher said.

"It's not a good position to be in, on either side." 

The option to opt out

Daycare providers can set their own prices for supplementary services, as long as parents are allowed to opt out. Churcher said those fees may vary due to the provider's operating costs, including rent and staffing. 

Kumaria is frustrated that strict rules around food make it hard for parents to avoid paying the monthly fee for meals.

She said her daycare is requiring parents to list each ingredient in every meal and snack sent from home.

She said she was also told there would be no refrigeration or staff available to re-heat the milk she sends with her 15-month-old son. 

"Our kids deserve better than that. Yes, I want cheaper daycare but not at the expense of quality of care for my child," she said.

"These daycares are just trying to make it by, financially, but the reality is that either they are going to eat the cost, or parents do."

CBC requested the province respond to the concerns around supplementary fees.

The statement from Jones said that with the the new flat monthly fee, providers can charge supplemental fees for optional services such as meals and field trips.

"This opt-in policy means more flexibility for parents who need additional services, and cost-savings for parents who rely on affordable, accessible child care," the statement said.

Kumaria said she wants the province to include parents and daycare providers in consultation before making sweeping changes.

Churcher agreed. 

"This program, and the underfunding of it, federally and provincially, is going to reduce quality," she said.

She said she wishes there had been consultation with "children at the heart of it, because this program doesn't talk about children."