An Alberta daycare needs at least 3 m² (32 sq ft) of primary play space for every child it's licensed for, and pre-school and out of school care need 2.5 m² (27 sq ft) per child, under Schedule 1, section 18 of the Early Learning and Child Care Regulation, AR 143/2008, consolidated to 30 September 2025. That's usable play space only, so washrooms, the kitchen, storage and your office come on top. Here's how those rules, and the fixtures Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the building code add, become rooms, as of September 2026.
Key takeaways
- A day care in Alberta needs at least 3 m² (32 sq ft) of primary play space per licensed child, and pre-school and out of school care need 2.5 m² (27 sq ft) (Regulation, Schedule 1, s.18).
- A day care's outdoor space must hold at least half its licensed capacity, at 2 m² (22 sq ft) per infant and 4.5 m² (48 sq ft) per child 19 months or older (s.19).
- Group caps shape the rooms: 6 infants under 12 months at 1:3, 12 children from 19 months to under 3 at 1:6, and 20 children 4 and older at 1:10 (s.27).
- AHS requires at least one toy-washing sink that isn't a hand or washroom sink, and a hand sink next to every diapering station (AHS child care guide, April 2025).
- The building code asks a daycare centre for at least one toilet per 30 males and one per 25 females (NBC(AE) 2023, 3.7.2.2).
- Calgary issued 59 child care facility fit-out permits in 2025, with a median declared value of $68,000, which sets the fee and runs below real cost (Calgary building permits open data).
How much space does an Alberta daycare need per child?
Schedule 1 of the Regulation defines each program, and section 18 sets its play space per licensed child (Regulation, s.18):
| Program | Who it serves | Play space per child | For 40 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day care | Infants to kindergarten age, 4 consecutive hours or more a day | 3 m² (32 sq ft) | 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) |
| Pre-school care | 19 months and older, under 4 hours a day | 2.5 m² (27 sq ft) | 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) |
| Out of school care | Kindergarten and school-aged children outside school hours | 2.5 m² (27 sq ft) | 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) |
Note: Provincial minimums as of September 2026. They count primary play space, not the whole lease.
Under section 18(2), the statutory director, the provincial official who licenses your program, decides what counts as usable play space. Ask the licensing office before your designer fixes the plan.
How much outdoor play space does a daycare need?
A day care needs outdoor play space for at least half its licensed capacity, at 2 m² (22 sq ft) per infant and 4.5 m² (48 sq ft) per child 19 months or older (s.19). It can be on the property, next to it, or within easy and safe walking distance.
It must be enclosed on all sides, with outside gates kept shut during use, unless the statutory director grants an exemption. Out of school care needs outdoor space within easy and safe walking distance, with no area set (s.19.1). If the building has no yard, find the park you'd use and ask the licensing office before you sign.
How do ratios and group sizes shape each room?
Section 27 sets two numbers for each age group: children per primary staff member, and the largest group allowed (s.27). Multiply the group cap by the space per child and you get the smallest playroom for a full group:
| Age group | Staff to children | Largest group | Play space for a full group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infants under 12 months | 1:3 | 6 | 18 m² (194 sq ft) |
| Infants 12 months to under 19 months | 1:4 | 8 | 24 m² (258 sq ft) |
| 19 months to under 3 years | 1:6 | 12 | 36 m² (388 sq ft) |
| 3 years to under 4 years | 1:8 | 16 | 48 m² (517 sq ft) |
| 4 years and older | 1:10 | 20 | 60 m² (646 sq ft) |
| Out of school care | 1:15 | 30 | 75 m² (807 sq ft) at 2.5 m² |
Note: Ratios and group caps from sections 27 and 27.1 as of September 2026; the last column is arithmetic. The Regulation caps groups, not rooms; one group per room is your choice.
A few more rules change the plan:
- A centre with 3 or more infants can't mix them into other age groups between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. without an exemption (s.27(4)), so plan a separate infant room.
- Each infant needs its own crib, cradle or bassinet (s.20).
- AHS wants infant crawling areas kept apart from walkways and older children (AHS, April 2025).
- Nap space can double as play space, AHS says, with 600 mm (2 ft) of open space around each bed that isn't against a wall.
Which sinks and diapering stations does AHS require?
AHS Environmental Public Health sets the fixtures, and a public health inspector must approve every new or renovated child care facility before it opens (AHS, April 2025). The guide asks for these, as of September 2026:
| Fixture or area | What AHS asks for |
|---|---|
| Handwashing sink | Used only for handwashing; needed in every diapering area, food preparation area and washroom |
| Toy-washing sink | At least one, easy to reach; not a hand sink or a washroom sink |
| Washroom fixtures | At least a flush toilet, a dedicated hand sink, and a bathtub or shower to bathe children |
| Diapering station | Next to a designated hand sink, fully apart from food and bottle preparation |
| Sick child area | Supervised, away from food areas, room for a bed or mat, 2 m (6 ft 7 in) from other children |
| Windows and mirrors | Safety glass within 1 m (3 ft 3 in) of the floor |
Note: A summary of AHS requirements and recommendations. Your public health inspector decides what your plan needs.
Check the toy sink and the bathtub or shower first. If you care for more than 10 children, you also need a food handling permit from AHS.
How many toilets does a daycare need under the building code?
The National Building Code, 2023 Alberta Edition, sets at least one water closet for each 30 males and one for each 25 females in a daycare centre (NBC(AE) 2023, 3.7.2.2). The City of Calgary enforces it through your building permit.
The count starts from the occupant load, the number of people the space is designed for, children and staff together (3.7.2.1). The code splits it evenly by sex unless you can show a different proportion. Each washroom with one or 2 toilets needs at least one lavatory (3.7.2.3).
Where washrooms are provided on a storey that needs a barrier-free path, at least one must be a universal washroom (3.8.2.8) with room to turn a wheelchair in a 1 700 mm (5 ft 7 in) circle (3.8.3.13). See our barrier-free bathroom guide for the full sizes.
Which approvals does a Calgary daycare need?
Three bodies approve a Calgary daycare: the City for land use and building, AHS for health, and the province for the licence (Government of Alberta). The City's local steps, as of September 2026, are on Calgary's facility-based child care page and Calgary's changes to existing buildings page:
| Approval | Who gives it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Development permit or tenancy change | City of Calgary | The use is "Child Care Service". A change of use costs $190 if permitted (5 business days) or $624 if discretionary or needing a relaxation (10 to 12 weeks); a tenancy change is $0 |
| Building and trade permits | City of Calgary, with AHS review | Needed to add, move or remove partitions |
| Plan review and opening approval | AHS public health inspector | Show a detailed plan before construction |
| Child care licence | Alberta's Ministry of Education and Childcare | Information session first; apply with your health, municipal and safety approvals; up to 30 business days once complete |
| City business licence | City of Calgary | Not needed in an approved commercial facility |
Note: Published fees and timelines as of September 2026. Building permit fees depend on the job.
One code check belongs before you sign. In a building that isn't sprinklered throughout, a child care facility with an occupant load over 40 needs a fire alarm system (NBC(AE) 2023, 3.2.4.1). Under 3.2.4.2, it usually has to cover the whole building. Ask the landlord whether the building is sprinklered.
Worked example: which rooms does a 40-child centre need?
Here's the arithmetic for one possible 40-child day care, not a design:
| Room | Children | Primary staff | Minimum play space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infants, 12 to under 19 months | 8 | 2 | 24 m² (258 sq ft) |
| Toddlers, 19 months to under 3 years | 12 | 2 | 36 m² (388 sq ft) |
| Preschoolers, 4 years and older | 20 | 2 | 60 m² (646 sq ft) |
| Total | 40 | 6 | 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) |
Note: Arithmetic from sections 18 and 27 for one mix of ages.
Around those playrooms, the same rules add:
- Outdoor space for 20 children at once: 90 m² (969 sq ft) if all 20 are 19 months or older.
- 8 cribs in the infant room.
- A diapering station beside a hand sink, a toy-washing sink, a kitchen closed to children, a sick-child area and storage.
- Washrooms with a bathtub or shower. The code counts 46 people (40 children and 6 staff), or 23 of each sex, so at least one toilet for each.
- A fire alarm system if the building isn't sprinklered throughout, since 46 is over 40.
The rules don't size the washrooms, kitchen, office or storage, so the lease will be larger than 120 m².
What did Calgary child care fit-outs declare in 2025?
Calgary child care fit-outs declared these values on 2025 building permits:
| Permit type | Permits | Median declared value |
|---|---|---|
| Child care facility | 59 | $68,000 |
| Day-care | 21 | $100,000 |
Source: City of Calgary building permits open data, permits issued in 2025 excluding cancelled ones, retrieved 2026-09-25. The median is of the construction value declared on the permit application. It isn't a quote and usually runs below what the work really costs. New homes and commercial work pay permit fees on this value; most home alterations pay a flat fee.
The declared value is what the applicant wrote on the permit application. It sets the permit fee and runs below the full cost of the work, so treat these medians as a low marker, not a quote.
Can you walk a daycare plan at full size before you sign the lease?
Yes. A plan can hit every number above and still work badly on a busy morning. At 1to1 Plans Calgary, your plan is shown at full size on a walkable LED floor, room by room, with room names and dimension lines.
You and your staff can walk the drop-off route, stand at the diapering station to see what it faces, and count how many cots fit with 600 mm around each. Freestanding walls stand in for partitions, and the studio's bathtub on wheels can sit where your bathing tub goes. Changes are made on the spot, and the session is recorded for staff who couldn't come. A plan bigger than the floor is walked a wing at a time.
A standard session is two hours. Commercial sessions are quoted by the size of the space, with nothing to pay at booking (get a quote), a small fraction of the 2025 median declared for a child care facility. Send the plan as a PDF or DWG at least three days ahead, then book a session or read how a session works. More commercial layout guides: restaurants, medical clinics and dental offices.
Questions
How many square metres per child does a daycare need in Alberta?
An Alberta day care needs at least 3 m² (32 sq ft) of primary play space per licensed child, under Schedule 1, section 18 of the Early Learning and Child Care Regulation. Pre-school and out of school care need 2.5 m² (27 sq ft) per child, and outdoor space comes on top.
How big does a daycare need to be for 40 children?
A 40-child day care in Alberta needs at least 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) of primary play space, plus outdoor space for 20 children at once: 90 m² (969 sq ft) if all 20 are 19 months or older.
The rules don't size washrooms, the kitchen, storage or the office, so the whole space will be larger.
Where can I find Alberta's daycare regulations as a PDF?
Alberta's daycare regulations are in the Early Learning and Child Care Regulation, AR 143/2008, a free PDF from Alberta King's Printer. Schedule 1 holds the space rules (sections 18 to 20) and the ratios (section 27). AHS's child care guide is a free PDF too.
Does a daycare in Calgary need a City business licence?
A daycare in an approved commercial facility in Calgary doesn't need a City of Calgary business licence, as of September 2026. The province licenses it, and you still need City planning and building approvals and AHS approval.
Can a daycare's nap room count as play space?
A daycare's nap room can double as a play area, AHS says, if each bed has 600 mm (2 ft) of open space on every side not against a wall. Whether it counts toward the 3 m² per child is the provincial statutory director's call, so ask the licensing office.
Sources
- Early Learning and Child Care Regulation, AR 143/2008 kings-printer.alberta.ca
- AHS child care guide, April 2025 albertahealthservices.ca
- NBC(AE) 2023, 3.7.2.2 nrc-publications.canada.ca
- Calgary building permits open data data.calgary.ca
- Government of Alberta alberta.ca
- Calgary's facility-based child care page calgary.ca
- Calgary's changes to existing buildings page calgary.ca
