Recreation, Culture & Social Support Services
Child Care
Juvy Rafael
When Juvy Rafael immigrated to Fort McMurray from Taiwan in 2008 she came to work as a live-in caregiver. She already had an employer and didn’t need to worry about finding a place to live.
She also knew that the Live-In Caregiver Program would allow her to apply for permanent residency in Canada. “It’s a great program,” she says. “After you have so many years working in Canada you can apply for permanent residency.”
While she admits the process is long she was prepared for it. “I came informed,” she says. “The agency that sent me made sure I knew what would happen.”
Juvy is volunteering in her spare time, making friends and hopes to continue to work as a live-in caregiver.
In Fort McMurray, there are a number of day care facilities as well as family day homes. There are also after-school programs available in the community where you can either drop in or register your child for classes or activities.
Historically, the problem in the region has been that demand for child care has grown faster than the number of spaces available to families wanting child care. It is important to plan ahead for child care before moving, as there are often waiting lists, especially for full-time child care facilities.
Child care in Fort McMurray is among the most expensive in the province. The Government of Alberta has recognized this problem and provides higher rates of support for parents in Fort McMurray compared to other parts of the province. However, for parents who will be paying the full cost of child care, research both cost and availability carefully and compare the cost of child care to your expected income.
- For a list of local licensed child care services visit the Alberta Child & Youth Services (ACYS) Childcare Lookup (use the postal code T9H for Fort McMurray child care)
- Child Care Subsidy Program information
- Child Care Subsidy Estimator
- Child Care Resources for Parents
There are also out-of-school care programs in the community as well as specialized services:
- RMWB Programs
- Child Care for students of Keyano College
- YMCA Child Care programs
Another child care option for families to consider is hiring a live-in caregiver.
