Child care costs in Alberta (2026)
Rules verified against official sources on 2026-07-05. Figures below are computed by the same engine as our cost calculator.
Alberta charges a flat parent fee of $326.25 per month (a $15/day equivalent — Alberta is not at $10/day) for full-time licensed care of children from birth to kindergarten age at providers with an Affordability Grant agreement, since April 1, 2025 and unchanged for 2026-27. Part-time care of 50–99 hours a month costs a flat $230; under 50 hours isn't covered. Children attending full-time kindergarten are excluded from the flat fee.
Kindergarten-to-grade-6 children in out-of-school care use Alberta's income-tested Child Care Subsidy instead: gross family income under $90,000 qualifies, with monthly maximums up to $644 (kindergarten at a facility) and $366 (grades 1–6) at the lowest income tier, stepping down to $161/$92 near the cutoff. In July and August, grades 1–6 get the higher kindergarten-level rates.
What full-time care typically costs in Alberta
Monthly figures at a typical (median) provider fee, full-time centre care, before any income-tested subsidy. Universal programs (fee caps, automatic reductions) are applied; income-tested help can lower these further.
| Age group | Typical provider fee | What parents pay | Applied program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,100/mo | $326.25/mo | Alberta flat parent fee ($326.25/month) |
| Toddler | $1,000/mo | $326.25/mo | Alberta flat parent fee ($326.25/month) |
| Preschool | $950/mo | $326.25/mo | Alberta flat parent fee ($326.25/month) |
Typical fees are market medians; your provider's fee may differ. Use the calculator for your own income and situation.
Common questions
Is Alberta child care $10 a day in 2026?
No. Alberta's flat parent fee is $326.25/month full-time (a $15/day equivalent) for children up to kindergarten age, unchanged for 2026-27 under the one-year federal extension. No move to $10/day has been announced.
Does the Alberta flat fee cover kindergarten children?
Only if the child is not attending full-time kindergarten. Children in full-time kindergarten use the income-tested subsidy (gross family income under $90,000) for their out-of-school-hours care instead.
Official sources
- https://www.alberta.ca/childcare-fees
- https://www.alberta.ca/child-care-subsidy-program
- https://www.alberta.ca/affordability-grant
The measurement behind these figures
- $10-a-day: what provinces claim vs. what the registries show — Alberta's public registry file carries no funding or fee field, so it cannot tell a parent which licensed programmes actually offer the reduced fee.
- How many licensed daycares are in Alberta? — the province's licensed programme count, supply per 1,000 young children, and what its registry does and does not publish. Free CSV, CC BY 4.0.
- The State of Licensed Child Care in Canada 2026 — all eight provinces side by side, including how Alberta’s fees and supply compare.
Estimate your own cost in Alberta
The MapleCub calculator applies these rules to your income, hours, and child's age — including income-tested subsidies not shown in the table above.
Open the cost calculator →