Local service guide
Childcare in Brandon, MB: Fees and Finding Care
For Childcare in Brandon, start with your child’s age, required hours and start date, then compare licensed centres and homes through Manitoba Child Care Search. Contact each provider about enrollment and its waitlist. At funded facilities, Manitoba caps infant and preschool care of four to ten hours at CAD 10 per child per day. Confirm funding status, availability and the written fee before committing. [1] [2] [3]
Choose care that covers your actual schedule
Write down your earliest drop-off, latest pickup, days needed and any school transportation requirement. Include travel time between care and work. Ask each provider to confirm that it can accept your child’s age and cover those hours before arranging a visit.
Manitoba’s licensed options include centres, family child care homes and group child care homes. Centres offer infant, preschool, nursery-school and school-age programs. Some centres and homes offer evening or weekend care; some homes offer overnight care. Ask about the specific program rather than assuming that a daytime space includes extended hours. [2]
For school-age care, confirm the school served, who handles the handoff and whether you need lunchtime supervision. Manitoba describes school-age centres as serving children aged six to 12 before and after school, with some providing lunch care and typically offering full-day care on non-school days. Confirm the individual provider’s calendar. [2]
Understand the fee before accepting a space
Manitoba’s maximum daily fee schedule took effect September 13, 2026. At funded facilities, infant and preschool care costs at most CAD 5 for less than four hours, CAD 10 for four to ten hours and CAD 15 for more than ten hours. The province also applies these duration bands to school-age care on inservice days and school holidays. [1]
On regular school days, funded facilities can charge school-age families at most CAD 6.15 for one attendance period, CAD 8.60 for two and CAD 10 for three. Ask which attendance periods your booking includes and request a written breakdown for school days and non-school days. [1]
Ask about payment dates, deposits, absences, closures, late pickup and withdrawal notice. Confirm whether you supply meals and snacks. Manitoba’s guide says some facilities supply food while others ask parents to provide it. Compare the full agreement, including the care hours you need, before choosing. [2]
A subsidy can pay part of the daily fee for eligible families. Manitoba assesses financial criteria and the reason for needing care, with a nursery-school exception to the reason requirement. The application requires the facility name and enrollment date. Ask the provider how to apply and wait for the province’s written determination of your share. [2]
Check licensing and visit the setting
Manitoba Child Care Search includes links to facility licences and information about hours, enrollment policies and when listings were updated. Read the licence before your visit. Manitoba requires facilities to display it; a provisional licence identifies at least one unmet minimum standard, and the licence also identifies exemptions. [2]
Ask the director or home provider to explain any conditions and how they affect your child’s care. During a visit, observe how caregivers respond to children, supervise transitions and handle disagreements. Discuss sleep routines, allergies, medication, authorized pickups and your child’s support needs.
Manitoba requires child care staff and licensed home providers to hold current first-aid training that includes child CPR. Licensed programs must also have an enhanced safety plan and code of conduct. Ask who will care for your child and how the provider handles an emergency or a caregiver’s absence. [2]
Keep applications and the first week organized
Use the provincial search to shortlist suitable providers, then contact them about enrollment. Each licensed facility maintains its own waitlist under its own policies. Record the application date, preferred start date, care requested and any requirement to confirm continued interest. [3]
Before accepting an offer, agree on the start date, schedule and fees in writing. Arrange a visit with your child and share eating habits, sleep routines and ways to comfort them. Manitoba’s guide recommends these preparation steps to help families settle into care. [2]
Funded infant and preschool care: Manitoba maximum daily fees
Local details that affect your job
YMCA applications require ongoing confirmation
As retrieved October 12, 2026, YMCA of Brandon says it has no additional spaces opening or available and estimates licensed-care waits of two to four years, depending on care type. Before-and-after-school waits may be shorter depending on the school. It uses one waitlist across its child care and school-care programs, requires a separate record for each child and tells families not to create multiple accounts. Watch for its six-month confirmation emails. The YMCA asks families to avoid calling centres about waitlist questions and says it will contact them when a space becomes available. Apply to other suitable providers if you need care sooner; this estimate does not describe all Brandon providers. [4]
St. Augustine has a defined pickup deadline
St. Augustine School’s page dated August 25, 2026 lists before-and-after-school arrival at 7:30 a.m. and pickup no later than 5:30 p.m. Check whether you can meet that deadline after work and travel. The school directs families to its registration package for guidelines and costs and gives 204-729-3285 for program questions. Confirm fees, eligibility and availability with the school before relying on this option. [5]
Match your needs to a care arrangement
| Your need | Option to investigate | Confirm before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Infant or preschool daytime care | Licensed centre or child care home | Age accepted, available hours, funding status and fee |
| A shorter preschool session | Nursery school or part-time centre | Manitoba describes typical sessions of two or three hours; confirm the actual schedule |
| Care around the school day | School-age program | School served, attendance periods and non-school-day coverage |
| Evening, weekend or overnight care | Provider offering extended hours | Some homes offer overnight care; ask about the specific licensed arrangement |
| Care before a YMCA space opens | Other suitable providers and a backup arrangement | YMCA’s published two-to-four-year estimate applies to its licensed care |
Your hiring checklist
- Write down your child’s age, start date, required days and drop-off and pickup times.
- Confirm the provider’s funding status and request the complete written fee agreement.
- Review the licence and ask about any provisional conditions or exemptions.
- Visit with your child and discuss routines, allergies and support needs.
- Confirm school handoffs, holiday coverage and authorized pickup arrangements.
- Record waitlist applications and respond to requests to confirm continued interest.
- Arrange backup care for the period before your confirmed start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does all licensed child care cost CAD 10 a day?
No. Manitoba’s CAD 10 maximum covers four to ten hours of infant or preschool care at funded facilities. Unfunded licensed facilities set their own fees, although they cannot charge subsidized families more than the regulated maximum. Ask about funding status and the fee for your schedule. [1]
Does the provincial search register my child on waitlists?
Families contact providers to arrange enrollment or join a waitlist. Each licensed facility manages its own list and enrollment policies. YMCA of Brandon has one shared list for its own child care and before-and-after-school programs. [3] [4]
Can a home caregiver operate without a licence?
Manitoba permits unlicensed private home care for no more than four children under 12, including no more than two under two. Those totals include the caregiver’s own children. Ask about the number and ages of children and screen the caregiver before agreeing to care. [2]
How do I assess a provisional licence?
Read the unmet standards written on the licence and ask the provider how it plans to meet them. Manitoba permits a facility with a provisional licence to remain open while working toward compliance. Assess the specific conditions and ask how they affect your child’s care. [2]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.