Nova Scotia Child Care Subsidy for Grandparents

If you're a grandparent raising a grandchild in Nova Scotia and you need childcare, you don't have to be working or enrolled in school to qualify for the subsidy. That's a rule many kinship caregivers don't know about — and it makes a significant difference.

How the Subsidy Works

The Child Care Subsidy Program, administered by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, pays a portion of licensed childcare fees directly to the childcare provider. You don't receive a cheque — the subsidy reduces what you owe the daycare or after-school program.

The amount depends on your household income:

• $70,000 or less in adjusted net income: You qualify for subsidized or free childcare
• Above $70,000: You pay full fees and are ineligible for the subsidy

There's no asset test. The program looks only at income.

No Work or Study Requirement

Most provincial childcare subsidies across Canada require the caregiver to be working, studying, or looking for work. Nova Scotia's program does not. A retired grandparent on a pension qualifies on the same terms as a working parent. This is especially important for older caregivers who need childcare not because of employment, but because of health limitations, appointments, or respite from full-time caregiving of a young child.

Who Can Apply

Any caregiver who is legally responsible for the child's day-to-day care can apply. You don't need a formal court order or guardianship. If you're the person who enrolled the child in the childcare program and you're paying the fees, you can apply for the subsidy.

The child must be attending a licensed childcare facility — licensed daycares, family day homes, and before/after-school programs. Informal babysitting arrangements with a neighbour or unlicensed home care aren't covered.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through childcarenovascotia.ca. The portal walks you through household income, child information, and the childcare provider's details. Processing typically takes a few weeks, and the subsidy is applied directly to your childcare account once approved.

Keep your most recent Notice of Assessment (from your tax return) handy — the portal uses your income information to calculate the subsidy rate.

Stacking With Other Benefits

The child care subsidy doesn't affect your Canada Child Benefit, Nova Scotia Child Benefit, or Alternative Family Care payments. It's a completely separate program. A grandparent receiving all three of those benefits can also have subsidized childcare, and none of the amounts reduce each other.

For the full picture of how every Nova Scotia kinship benefit interacts — including which ones count as income for other programs and which don't — the Nova Scotia kinship financial help guide includes a benefit compatibility map.

See more Nova Scotia guides →