Nearly $21 million in provincial and federal funding has been announced to support early learning and child-care services in New Brunswick.

The money will allow the province to increase operating grants to facilities and boost the wages of early childhood educators, among other things.

Designated early learning child-care centres and homes will see their operating grants increased.

Daily grants will increase to $15 for occupied infant spaces and $3 for preschool spaces, said the province.

The market fee threshold – which guides operators in setting daily fees – will increase eight per cent to reflect the 2022 inflation levels.

“Inflation has had a significant impact on the sustainability of operations, particularly those who are part of the designation program and are required to maintain reduced parent fees,” Early Childhood Education Minister Bill Hogan said in a news release.

“This increase recognizes those challenges and provides operators with funding they need to keep pace with operational realities.”

Out-of-pocket fees paid by families will not be affected by the increase to the market fee threshold, said officials.

Meanwhile, early childhood educators will get an extra $1 an hour as of April 1, coinciding with the province’s minimum wage increase.

Hogan said wages are a “key factor” in recruiting and retaining early childhood educators, noting turnover decreased to 26.7 per cent in 2022 compared to 50.1 per cent the year before.