EDMONTON — Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel says a government led by him would provide vouchers and tax credits to help families with kids in daycare or after-school care.
Making his first announcement his campaign to the April 16 provincial election, Mandel says low- and middle-income families could use the vouchers at any licensed daycare.
He says the vouchers would provide a subsidy — on a sliding scale depending on family income — of up to 100 per cent of child-care costs.
An income-tested caregiver tax credit would be available for families choosing not to use licensed care.
Mandel also says an Alberta Party government would create more affordable child-care spaces around the province.
He says the NDP government’s $25-a-day child-care plan covers just under 7,300 kids, but his party’s program would apply to more than 100,000 Alberta families.
“This represents the biggest expansion of child care in the history of Alberta, which will support participation in the workforce and position Alberta for a prosperous future,” Mandel said Wednesday in a written release.
“Alberta’s kids are our most important investment and that’s why we are putting children first.”
Families with a combined income of less than $30,000 wouldn’t pay anything for child care, he said.
That would increase in increments for every extra $20,000 of income and would max out at $30 a day per child for families making between $90,000 and $110,000.
