Part 3: The Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB)

If CCFRI is the reduction almost everyone gets automatically, the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) is the one that goes further specifically for lower- and middle-income families — but it does require applying.

The ACCB is a monthly payment from the province, paid directly to your child care provider, to help cover child care costs. Unlike CCFRI, this one is income-tested:

• Families with an adjusted annual income up to roughly $111,000 may qualify for at least a partial benefit
• Families at the lower end of that range (roughly $45,000 or below) typically receive closer to the maximum benefit
• The exact amount also depends on family size, the number of children needing care, your child's age, and the type of care used
• Eligible families can receive up to $1,250 per child, per month, in combination with other factors

To apply, you'll need to select a child care provider first, then apply through the province's online portal (My Family Services), providing details about your income, family size, and the reason care is needed (such as work, school, or a medical reason). The benefit needs to be renewed every year, and if your reason for needing care changes, you'll need to update your application.

Because ACCB is applied for separately from CCFRI, it's easy for families to assume "the subsidy" is already built into their quoted daycare rate — but a quoted fee usually only reflects the automatic CCFRI reduction, not ACCB. If your household income qualifies, applying for ACCB on top of that is a separate, additional step worth taking. This is also good to know as a Responsible Adult operating your own home daycare, so you can help families understand what they may be eligible for.