BC Child Care Subsidies: CCFRI and the ACCB Explained

Geetika Raichand · Nov 6, 2026 · 5 min read 3 2

When we first started looking into BC daycare costs, I assumed "the child care subsidy" was just one simple program. It turns out, it’s not. There are actually two completely separate provincial programs that get lumped together—and one of them you’ll miss out on entirely unless you proactively apply for it.

Looking back, the hardest part of our search wasn't just swallowing the monthly cost; it was trying to decipher how any of it actually worked. Government pages made our eyes glaze over, local Facebook threads were years out of date, and every center assumed we already knew what "CCFRI" meant.

What I wish I'd known on day one:

Here is how I frame it now: CCFRI happens to you, but ACCB is something you have to go out and get.

CCFRI (Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative): is a province wide program and is automatic, not income based. There is no application required. The savings are applied directly to your monthly tuition. If your daycare takes part, it charges you less.
ACCB (Affordable Child Care Benefit): is an income-tested subsidy that provides additional support to families who need it most. It requires an application through the BC government. The amount you receive depends on your family income, number of children, type of care, and hours of care needed.
$10 a Day ChildCareBC centres: daycares that joined the $10 a day program. You deal with the daycare, not the province.

If you only take one thing from this post, take that. It's the part I'd want a friend to tell me over coffee.

CCFRI:

It is the part of the system I like best, because there's no paperwork. It's for children 12 and under, and it isn't income tested. The money goes to the daycare, and the daycare passes it on in the fee. For 2026-27, the full-time reduction per child per month is up to:

Under 3 years: $900 in a group daycare, $600 in a family or in-home daycare
3 years to kindergarten: $545 in a group daycare, $500 in a family or in-home daycare
Kindergarten: $320
Grade 1 to age 12: $115 in a group daycare, $145 in a family or in-home daycare
Preschool: $95

Part-time gets a smaller, pro-rated amount. There's also a floor: the fee you pay full-time generally won't drop below $200 a month, or $140 for part-time, with limited exceptions.

ACCB:

It is a monthly benefit based on your family's income. The province describes it as additional savings on top of CCFRI, and it's a separate application.

The rule I'd want every parent to see before anything else

Maternity or parental leave is not a qualifying reason. To get the ACCB you need care for a qualifying reason, like working or being self-employed, going to school, an employment program, looking for work (one parent), a medical condition, a licensed preschool program, or care arranged by a social worker.

Who can get it

Residency: You have a BC address and are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, Convention refugee or person in need of protection.
Income: Your income is under the limit. Families with a household income up to $111,000 may qualify, and families above that may still apply if they have a larger family or a child with support needs.
Maximum benefit: This is for adjusted incomes up to $45,000 in licensed care, with partial benefits above that.
Type of care: Most types of child care are eligible. The ones that are not are licensed occasional care, drop-in care, recreational care, and unlicensed care

These are the monthly maximums for licensed care:

Group care, under 19 months: up to $1,250
Group care, 19 to under 37 months: up to $1,060
Group care, 37 months to school age: up to $550
Family or in-home multi-age care, under 37 months: up to $1,000
Family or in-home multi-age care, 37 months to school age: up to $550
School age, before and after school care: up to $210
School age, full-day care: up to $415
Licensed preschool: up to $225

Treat these as ceilings, not what you'll get. The amount depends on your income, it's prorated for part-time care, and it can't be more than your daycare's fee. The province has an estimator on its page

How it's paid: Usually the daycare receives the benefit after sending in a monthly claim, and you pay the fee minus the benefit.

Where to apply: Through My Family Services online, or CF2900 paper form.
When to apply: Before the end of the month your care starts.
Renewals: You renew every year, or when your reason for needing care changes.

$10 a Day centres

These are licensed daycares that chose to join the province's $10/day program. Here's how it works:

Who applies: The daycare applies to join. You don't apply to the province.
How you get a spot: You contact the daycare directly. Each centre runs its own waitlist, and a spot depends on how many licensed spaces it has.
Combining with the ACCB: The province says some families pay little to nothing when a $10 a Day centre is combined with the ACCB. I'd still treat that as "worth checking"
Where to find one: BC province lists centres by school region here.

What I'd ask each daycare

Do you take part in CCFRI? This tells you whether the reduction is already in the fee.
Are you a $10 a Day centre? If yes, ask what the fee covers.
What would my monthly fee be after the reduction? This is the number that matters for your budget.
Do you accept the ACCB, and how does the monthly claim work? This tells you whether the daycare handles the benefit and how you'd pay.

What I'd tell a friend

CCFRI is automatic at daycares that take part. The ACCB is the one you have to apply for.
Parental leave doesn't count for the ACCB, so check your own situation first.
Rules and amounts change, so check the province's pages.