Further to the response provided to the Member for Great Slave on February 10, 2025, the following additional information is provided:
Parameters around early learning and child care fees that can be charged to NWT families are found in the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Canada-NWT Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The Act requires that all operators charge no more than the maximum “child care fees” to families approved by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, so that the Government of the Northwest Territories is able to meet the required average of $10 a day child care fees in the Agreement.
The Act defines “child care fees” as all fees charged for the care, instruction or supervision of a child, and forbids operators from charging anything other than “child care fees” to parents of children attending the facility. Neither the Agreement nor the Act prevents operators from receiving voluntary donations, fundraising or third-party funding. These are all viable revenue sources available to early learning and child care facilities should they wish to explore them. Any additional donation or fundraising requests to families must be voluntary and may not affect the care or programming that the family experiences should they opt not to voluntarily donate to the operator. Any negative consequences or impacts to the level of service being offered would require they be considered mandatory “child care fees” and, as such, prohibited under the Act and Agreement.
The Department sent an email to licensed early learning and child care operators on April 22, 2025, confirming their ability to request and receive voluntary donations and services from families; specifically donations, fundraising, and third-party funding as outlined above. This information will be made available to the public on the GNWT website.
