More Work to Be Done: An Analysis of Child Care Subsidies in Alberta
More Work to Be Done: An Analysis of Child Care Subsidies in Alberta discussion paper provides an introduction to child care subsidies in Alberta, outlines and analyzes some of the recent changes to subsidies, provides suggestions for improving the subsidy system and the general affordability of early learning and care in Alberta, and concludes by providing some perspective on the role of affordability within a high-quality early learning and care system.
In particular, three issues need to be addressed in the current subsidy system: (1) subsidies are not indexed, meaning they lose real value every year, (2) the subsidy cap appears to disadvantage the lowest-income families, and (3) income thresholds to qualify for partial subsidies are still quite low, and may encourage some families to refuse work in order to keep their subsidies. We also encourage policymakers and the public to think more deeply about what "affordability" means in early learning and care, and how it might be achieved through means other than relying purely on subsidies. You can read a summary of this paper here.
