Daycare rate changes means the rich pay far less and the poor pay far more

The GoA just issued a new $330/month flat rate for daycare fees, with no subsidy or assistance for low-income families. It is not means tested in any way. There is no requirement that parents work or attend school.

Extremely low-income families in low cost of living areas were being heavily subsidized, and will now have to pay an extra $330/child per month. For families with three children that's $1000/month to come up with in 60 days. That is absurd. Single parent families on low wages will be completely, utterly screwed by this policy change.

Does this really feel fair to you? A rich family in Calgary making a million a year, who don't work and loaf's around all day at the spa can now send their child to an elite, private daycare for $350/month. A single mother working at McDonald's with three children now has to send their kid to whatever daycare they can find a spot at for $1000/month. That mother will lose her job and be entirely reliant on welfare. There is literally no other option available to her. She cannot afford to work.

How is this fair? How is this good for Albertans? The people who are having their fees lowered are families that make over $180,000 per year. Are they really the ones that needed it?

ETA: for those saying don't have kids you can't afford, you are missing the main point. People could afford it. The previous program was introcued 5 years ago. Everyone with daycare aged children conceived those children under the structed program that lowered their fees according to their income level. They knew what it would cost and made family planning decisions accordingly. Now their costs will increase in some cases by a huge amount. They could afford it when they made a decision to have a child and now the rug has been pulled out from under them.

Also, if you think society can function when the bottom half of households literally can't afford to have children you are frankly delusional.

ETA an explanation of the previous system and the new system.

We previously had a two part system. Affordability Grants that go directly from the GoA to the daycare provider, this was a joint program between the Feds and Alberta. Everyone got this.

The second part was the Alberta Daycare Subsidy program. This was a means tested program that provided additional subsidy to families earning less than 180,000. For very low income families it reduced fees to almost 0.

The new program will basically eliminate those two separate programs and every child will cost the parent 330/month. So low income families will have rates go up 300/child per month, and high income earners who did not qualify for subsidy may see their fees substantially reduced.