New childcare savings provide more flexibility for parents of school-aged kids

New childcare savings will take effect this September 1.

Families with children eligible for half-day preschool and before and after-school programs can save as much as $145 per month.

Funding to bring childcare prices down will be dispersed directly to childcare centres, so parents need not apply individually.

The addition of before and after-school programs builds on the $900 per child per month savings already funded for kids kindergarten-aged and younger.

Approximately 94 percent of all eligible licensed childcare providers in BC are participating in the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative.

That provides care for more than 38,000 children in a fiscal year through the Affordable Child Care Benefit.