Do You qualify for the Affordable Child Care Benefit

A parent or guardian must be:

• A resident of B.C. (you must have a current B.C. address)
• A Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection

Most types of child care are eligible. Child care by a family member who lives with you, licensed occasional care and recreational care are not eligible for funding.

• Use the estimator to see how much your child care could qualify for
• Review rates by type

Parents must provide one of the following reasons for requiring child care:

• Working or self-employed
• Attending school
• Participating in an employment program
• Looking for work (only one parent or guardian)
• Living with a medical condition that interferes with your ability to care for your child
• Your child is attending licensed preschool
• You have been referred by a Ministry of Children and Family Development or Delegated Aboriginal Agency social worker.

A formula is used to calculate whether a family qualifies for a funding amount based on their annual income and deductions, or adjustments. This step is called income testing.

Generally speaking, families that earn up to $111,000 may qualify for funding. Families that earn more than $111,000, but have considerable deductions for family size or children who have special needs, can also apply.

• Find out more about sharing your income information with the Ministry of Children and Family Development

Families may be exempt from income testing if they are caring for someone else’s child under a Ministry of Children and Family Development placement.

Apply for funding before the end of the month in which you need child care. For example, if you would like to receive funding for child care starting September 1, you need to apply by September 30.