Local service guide
Childcare in Fredericton: Fees and Choosing Care
Childcare in Fredericton has a provincial full-day parent fee of CAD $19 for infants and $16 for preschoolers at designated facilities, effective May 1, 2026. These rates cover eligible children aged five or younger who have not started school. Start with Childcare Finder, confirm designation and a suitable opening with the operator, then review inspection reports and visit before accepting care. For school-age or non-designated care, request the provider’s written fees because the provincial fee grid does not apply. [1] [2] [4]
Build a shortlist around your actual schedule
Write down your child’s age at the proposed start date, required days, earliest drop-off and latest pickup. Include your preferred language of care and any feeding, medication or support needs. Decide which requirements you can adjust before speaking with operators.
Search Fredericton in the provincial Childcare Finder. Its filters distinguish children under two, children aged two to five and children attending school. For siblings, you can select the option to show sites serving all selected ages. You can also narrow the search to designated facilities or sites showing available spaces. [2]
Treat an available-space listing as a reason to ask questions. Ask the operator to confirm the age group, start date, weekly schedule and hours they can offer. Test the drop-off and pickup route against your workday before committing.
Compare fees under the right category
New Brunswick’s designated-care fee grid applies across the province, including Fredericton. Since May 1, 2026, the province has used one age-based grid instead of separate large-urban and small-urban or rural fees. Designated operators must not charge more than the applicable daily grid fee. [1]
For eligible children, the full-day rates are CAD $19 for infants aged 0–24 months and $16 for preschoolers aged two to five. Part-day rates are $12 and $7, respectively. Children must be five or younger, not attending school and enrolled at a designated facility. Parents do not need an income test or an application to receive the grid rates. [1]
Ask the operator which age category and attendance category they will use, especially near your child’s second birthday. Request a written payment schedule covering reserved days, absences, holidays, deposits, notice periods and any proposed additional charges. Ask them to explain how each charge relates to the applicable parent fee.
The grid excludes non-designated facilities and school-age programs. Obtain their fees from the operator rather than using designated preschool rates to budget for after-school care. [1]
Register future care needs and follow up
Child Care Connect NB lets you describe where and when you need care through a Parent Portal account. You can submit a request before your child is born and provide the child’s identification information after birth. If you lack a Medicare number or New Brunswick Education Number, the instructions say to proceed so someone can contact you for verification. [3]
The Parent Portal emails you when an operator potentially matches your needs. You must contact that operator and decide whether the arrangement fits. A potential match does not confirm an accepted place. [3]
Keep a record of each conversation: contact name, offered schedule, start date, quoted fees and next step. Before changing your work arrangements, ask for written confirmation of the care you have accepted.
Read inspection history and visit
The province publishes recent and past inspection reports as a facility compliance history. Licensed facilities receive monitoring and renewal inspections, and licensing staff follow up identified non-compliance. The government recommends visiting and speaking with the operator as well as reviewing reports. [4]
Open a shortlisted facility’s More Details section in Childcare Finder to find inspection reports. Read the findings and dates, then ask the operator to explain any concern and the action taken. The province describes inspection results as one part of choosing care. [1] [4]
During a visit, ask who will care for your child, how staff handle distress, how they communicate with families and how they authorize pickups. Discuss allergies, medication, illness exclusions, sleep routines and support needs. Ask what happens when the usual caregiver is absent or the facility closes.
Arrange financial assistance before the start date
New Brunswick’s Parent Subsidy Program covers eligible families using designated preschool care. The Childcare Assistance Program covers eligible families using non-designated preschool care or school-age programs. Applicants must meet the program’s employment, training or referral requirements, with gross annual household income of $80,000 or less. [1]
Families earning $37,500 or less may receive free childcare at a designated facility, subject to eligibility. Apply through the Parent Portal and give the operator the same email address you use for that account and your assistance application. [5]
Track the application under Programs and Services and check Required Actions if the department requests missing information. Coordinate the application with the operator’s enrolment offer: an approved benefit expires if no offer is active within 60 days of approval. [5]
Published daily parent fees at designated facilities
Local details that affect your job
Provincial designation changes the Fredericton fee comparison
A licensed Fredericton provider may be non-designated. Check designation in Childcare Finder before comparing a quote with the provincial grid. Designated preschool care uses the standardized parent fees; non-designated care and school-age programs fall outside that grid. [1]
Use the provincial matching process for a future start
For a planned return to work, submit where and when you need care through Child Care Connect NB. You can register before birth. Monitor your email and contact an operator when the portal sends a potential match; the province leaves that follow-up and suitability decision to you. [3]
Match the assistance application to the enrolment offer
New Brunswick permits assistance applications up to 60 days before care starts. Use the same email for the Parent Portal, assistance application and operator’s enrolment offer, and confirm the offer becomes active within the approval window. [5]
Choose the correct fee and application route
| Your situation | Applicable route | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Child five or younger, not in school, at a designated facility | Provincial Parent Fee Grid; Parent Subsidy Program may also apply | Confirm designation, age category and full-day or part-day attendance |
| Preschool child at a licensed non-designated facility | Operator fees; Childcare Assistance Program may apply | Request written fees and check assistance eligibility |
| Child aged 5–12 attending school | School-age program fees; Childcare Assistance Program may apply | Confirm school-day coverage and request the program’s fees |
| Future care needed, including before birth | Child Care Connect NB request | Specify location and timing, then contact potential matches |
Your hiring checklist
- Write down your child’s start date, required days, hours and language preferences.
- Confirm the operator can serve your child’s age group on the requested schedule.
- Ask for the applicable fee category and a written payment and cancellation policy.
- Read inspection findings and ask how the operator addressed concerns.
- Visit and discuss supervision, routines, allergies, medication and authorized pickups.
- Clarify closure dates, caregiver absences and your backup arrangements.
- Keep written confirmation of the accepted schedule and start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every licensed daycare charge the reduced provincial fees?
No. A facility can hold a licence without designation. The Parent Fee Grid applies to eligible preschool children at designated facilities and excludes school-age programs. [1]
Can I register for care before my baby is born?
Yes. Child Care Connect NB accepts requests before birth. You provide the required child identification information after birth and follow up with operators when a potential match arrives. [3]
Where can I check a facility’s inspection reports?
Look in the facility’s More Details section in Childcare Finder. Review past and recent reports, discuss concerns with the operator and visit before choosing. [1] [4]
Can I apply for assistance before care starts?
Yes, up to 60 days before the start date. If an enrolment offer is not active within 60 days of benefit approval, the benefit expires and you must apply again. [5]
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.