Through a Union Lens from Nova Scotia

The findings in this Report, titled “The Price is Not Right (Yet)” by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (Report is at this link ), should serve as a wake-up call for Nova Scotia. Despite national progress on the $10-a-day childcare plan, Nova Scotia remains one of the few provinces still relying on market-based fees, with no clear path to the 2026 affordability target. That’s deeply concerning, especially for working families who are already struggling with the high cost of living. Nova Scotia’s approach has been to reduce fees by a flat amount rather than setting a maximum fee. That means childcare fees vary widely and remain high, depending on where you live and the provider you use. For example, in Halifax, the median infant fee remains significantly above the $10-a-day goal, and preschool fees are still among the highest in the country. Unlike other provinces that have adopted transparent, set fees, Nova Scotia’s model continues to place the burden on families to find an affordable spot, if they can find one at all. Even worse, Nova Scotia hasn’t adjusted its provincial contributions since 2022. Fees have continued to rise while government support has stayed the same. That means the savings that parents initially saw at the beginning of the program have been quietly eroded by inflation. Parents are falling behind again. We also can’t talk about expanding child care without talking about the workforce. The Report identifies low wages and poor working conditions as significant barriers to creating more spaces. If we don’t pay early childhood educators fairly, we won’t have the people we need to deliver high-quality care. That’s a simple truth. Affordable, reliable, and public child care is not a luxury; it is a necessity. It’s an economic necessity. It allows parents, especially mothers, to stay in the workforce. It helps reduce poverty. And it sets kids up for success later in life. For working families in Nova Scotia, this isn’t a matter of choice. It’s about survival. We need the Nova Scotia government to act now. That means setting maximum fees, investing in public and non-profit child care, and creating a fair wage grid for workers. Otherwise, we risk falling even further behind, and it’s working families who will bear the brunt of the consequences.

Here are a few Key Points from the Report:

• Nova Scotia still uses market fees with flat-rate reductions rather than setting a $10-a-day fee.
• No provincial fee reductions have been made since 2022 despite inflation.
• Fees in Nova Scotia remain among the highest in Canada for infants and preschoolers.
• Set fees are more transparent and effective than market-based reductions.
• Parent savings in Nova Scotia have stagnated or declined since the initial decreases.
• Public expansion and staff wage grids are needed to address space shortages.
• Childcare deserts and underpaid staff limit access and quality.
• A publicly funded, not-for-profit model is the most effective path forward.