Eligibility for fee subsidy (net income, 1998)
	Turning point	Break-even point
1 parent, 1 child	$16,812	$24,540
2 parents, 2 children	17,712	34,092

The turning point is the income level up to which full subsidy is available. Partial subsidy is available up to the break-even point at which income subsidy ceases.

Maximum subsidy by age of child (1998)
Infants to 17 mos	$17.20 /day
Preschoolers	17.20/day
School-age	17.20/day

Programs may surcharge subsidized parents if costs are above the maximum subsidy rate; they must charge full-fee parents at least the same as subsidized parents.
The minimum user fee is $2.25 per day (1998).

Average percentage of centre revenue from fee subsidies

20.5%

PUBLIC FUNDING FOR REGULATED CHILD CARE (1998)

For the purposes of funding, the category "child care centres" includes:

• Registered centres  
  Operated by non-profit boards of directors and eligible for subsidized spaces, salary enhancement grants, equipment grants.
• Non-profit centres  
  Operated by a board of directors, not eligible for subsidized spaces but eligible for salary enhancement grants.
• For-profit centres  
  Operated by owners or managers and not eligible either for subsidized spaces or salary enhancement grants.

One-time funding

Start-up grant   $100/subsidized space, available to full-time registered centres.

Recurring funding

Equipment grant   Available to full-time registered centres. Up to $130/year/subsidized centre space may be used for the purchase of equipment only.

Infant incentive grant  Non-profit centres that enroll infants receive an additional $4.69/day/infant

Special needs funding  Between $23.61 and $32/day/child with special needs. Intended to cover additional costs associated with integrating children with special needs. Eligibility is based on evidence of the child’s disability. A few centres have designated allotment of special needs spaces; other special needs-subsidized spaces are allocated on a case-by-case, as needed basis. This grant is dependant of availability of funding.

Salary enhancement grant  Available to non-profit (registered and non-registered) centres and licensed family day care agencies. The grant is $3.25/day/space up to the maximum number of spaces based on the number of families whose net income falls within maximum provincial subsidy eligibility guidelines whether or not the child is subsidized.

Family day care administrative grant  Available to licensed family day care agencies. The grant is either 10% of the approved per diem fee or based on the previous year's utilization of subsidized spaces of $1.65/day/space.

Child development centre grant  Annual grant provided to child development centres (part-day enrichment programs which primarily enroll children from low-income families). Maximum grant available cannot exceed 50% of the centre's approved operating budget and is based on the percentage of families whose income falls within provincial subsidy guidelines.

FEDERAL FUNDING

Entitlements on child care expenditures	No longer available
(See FEDERAL ROLE for more information)

SALARIES (1998)

Mean gross hourly wage for child care staff (full and part-time staff combined)
Centres
Assistant Teachers	$7.04
Teachers	8.51
Teachers Directors	10.21
Administrative Directors	14.58
Family day care
Information not available

Average percentage of centre budget spent on wages and benefits

77.9%

FEES (1998)

Median monthly parent fees for full-time care
Centres
Infants (Age 0-17 mos)	$470
Toddlers (Age 18 mos - 3 yrs)	412
Preschoolers (Age 3 yrs -5.11yrs)	412
School-age	Information not available
Family day care
Information not available

Average percentage of centre revenue from parent fees

72.7%