Childcare Finder

Daycare cost in Vancouver

Childcare fees in Vancouver are set by each individual facility and vary by age group, care type and hours — there is no standard price. Childcare Finder does not publish per-facility fees, because the provincial directory our listings come from does not include them. What we can explain is how B.C.'s three affordability programs work, and how each one changes what a family actually pays. For current pricing, contact the provider directly.

192
Licensed facilities tracked
178
Fee Reduction sites
67
Reporting open spaces
10
Neighbourhoods covered
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Availability is reported by providers to the BC Government. Please confirm current openings directly with the provider before deciding.

B.C. childcare affordability programs

$10 a Day ChildCareBC

ChildCareBC $10 a Day sites are licensed facilities selected by the Province to charge families a set daily rate instead of their regular fee. Participation is decided site by site and the number of funded spaces is capped, so most licensed facilities in Vancouver are not $10 a Day sites. A facility's status can change between provincial updates — always confirm directly with the centre before assuming the rate applies to the space you are offered.

Who it helps: any family with a space at a participating site, regardless of income.

Province of B.C. — $10 a Day ChildCareBC

Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI)

CCFRI is funding paid to the provider, not to the family. Enrolled facilities agree to lower the fees they charge parents and are reimbursed by the Province, so the reduction appears automatically on your monthly invoice — there is nothing for a family to apply for. The reduction amount depends on the child's age group and the type of care, and infant and toddler spaces receive the largest reductions.

Who it helps: every family enrolled at a CCFRI-authorized facility, regardless of income. 178 of the 192 Vancouver West listings we track are recorded in the government directory as CCFRI-authorized.

Province of B.C. — Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative

Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB)

The ACCB is an income-tested subsidy that families apply for themselves through the Province. Eligibility and the amount depend on household income, family size, the type of care used and the reason care is needed (work, study, or a referral). If approved, the benefit is paid toward your childcare provider and reduces the balance you are billed. It can be combined with CCFRI at the same facility.

Who it helps: lower- and middle-income families using licensed care, and in some cases registered licence-not-required care.

Province of B.C. — Affordable Child Care Benefit

What a family actually pays

  1. 1. The provider's posted fee

    Each facility sets its own monthly fee for each age group. This is the starting number, and it is the one you need to ask the provider for.

  2. 2. Minus the fee reduction (if the site is CCFRI-authorized)

    At enrolled facilities the reduction is already applied to the invoice you receive. No application needed.

  3. 3. Or the set daily rate (if the site is $10 a Day)

    Participating sites charge the set daily rate in place of their regular fee for funded spaces.

  4. 4. Minus the Affordable Child Care Benefit (if you qualify)

    Approved families have the benefit paid toward the provider, lowering the remaining balance.

  5. 5. The balance is what your family pays

    Because steps 1 through 4 differ at every facility, the only reliable number comes from the provider itself.

Childcare Finder does not publish or estimate fees for any individual daycare. Use the contact details on a listing to ask about current rates, deposits and waitlist policies.

Vancouver daycare cost questions

How much does daycare cost in Vancouver?
There is no single price. Fees are set by each facility and vary by age group, care type (group daycare, family childcare, preschool) and hours. Infant and toddler care is generally the most expensive, part-day preschool the least. Because the provincial directory we use does not publish per-facility fees, Childcare Finder does not list prices — contact the provider directly for their current fee schedule.
Does Childcare Finder show each daycare's monthly fee?
No. Our listings come from the BC government childcare directory, which does not include fee amounts. We show which affordability programs a facility is enrolled in where the province publishes that field, and we link you to the provider's phone, email or website so you can ask about current rates and waitlists.
How do I find a $10 a Day or fee-reduction site?
Participation is decided site by site. Use the search page filters to see facilities recorded as taking part in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative, then confirm with the facility — program status can change between provincial updates.
How do I apply for the Affordable Child Care Benefit?
Families apply directly to the Province of B.C., not to the daycare. The application asks about household income, family size, the type of care you use and why you need it. If approved, the benefit is paid toward your childcare provider and reduces the amount you are billed.
Why does infant care cost more than preschool?
Licensing rules require more staff per child for infants and toddlers than for preschool-age or school-age children. Higher staffing costs are the main reason infant and toddler fees are the highest in every part of Vancouver.

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