All licensed child care providers in Ontario are eligible to apply to participate

On March 28, the provincial and federal governments announced plans to implement the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) funding program to make child care more affordable for families and increase compensation for eligible child care staff. Licensed child care providers who want to enroll in the CWELCC program must notify Oxford County of their intention to do so by November 1, 2022.

Children under six, as of June 30, 2022, enrolled with a participating licensed child care provider will receive a 25 per cent fee reduction retroactive to April 1, 2022. Parents can expect a further reduction on January 1, 2023, reducing fees by approximately 50 per cent. Licensed providers who apply, and are approved to participate, will notify parents about when to expect a refund. Providers who opt not to participate must advise parents of this decision.

Parents do not need to apply to participate in the CWELCC funding program, but they are encouraged to ask about their provider's intention to apply for the program. All licensed child care providers in Ontario are eligible to apply to participate, but participation is optional.

Oxford County is committed to building and supporting a child care and early learning system that meets the needs of all families and children. To learn more about the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program, please visit www.oxfordcounty.ca/childcare.

Quick facts  

• On March 28, 2022, the federal and provincial governments announced a funding agreement that will reduce the cost of child care in Ontario to an average of $10 per day by 2025-2026.
• The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement includes $13.2 billion for Ontario over six years.
• The agreement sets a minimum wage floor of $18/ hour for Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECE) and $20/hour for RECE supervisors and RECE home visitors retroactive to April 1, 2022, increasing $1/hour each year until 2026, up to a maximum of $25/hour.   

The agreement aims to create 86,000 licensed child care spaces for children under the age of six by the end of 2026 to meet the growing demand for affordable child care.