Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Vancouverites pay well above national average for child care

Child care fees can often be so high that many working parents may feel it is not worth it to work when a huge portion of their income goes toward this expense
childcare

Child care fees can often be so high that many working parents may feel it is not worth it to work when a huge portion of their income goes toward this expense.

This is particularly true in Vancouver, where parents are paying well above average compared with their counterparts in other major cities across the country, according to a study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).


Parents of infants in Vancouver pay a median of $1,215 per month, per child, for full-time care. This is 38% higher than the national average of $878.

The highest care for infants is found in Toronto, at $1,676.


The lowest cost for child care is found in Quebec, where parents pay $152 per month for any child up to preschooler level. This amount skews the national average. Taking out cities across Quebec, the national average for infant child care is $1,092, which is still 11% higher than in Vancouver.

Parents of toddlers in Vancouver pay the second-highest median amount for full-time care, per child ($1,215). The national average is $754. Excluding Quebec, the average is $942. Once again, Torontonian parents top the list, at $1,324 per child.


Vancouver parents of preschoolers pay $870 per child, compared with $676 nationally. Excluding Quebec, the national average is $831.

“Affordable child care is an important issue not only for parents but also for the Canadian economy as it plays a significant role in labour force participation, particularly for women,” the CCPA said.  

“When parents are given an affordable choice, they choose to work, which increases incomes for all Canadians.”

The study found that across the country, more than 75% of mothers of children under six work – and the number increases for fathers. For the purpose of this report, the CCPA looked at the median cost of child care as a percentage of women’s income. In Vancouver, this comes to 29%. This amount is per child.

“The reality is that families rely on child care in order to be able to work,” the report said.

[email protected]

@EmmaHampelBIV