Ontario to Cap Child Care Fees at $22 Per Day Starting January 2025

The Ontario government has announced further reductions in child care fees for families. Starting January 2025, fees for children under six in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) programs will be capped at $22 per day. This change is expected to save families nearly $300 million in 2025.

The new fee cap will affect 44% of child care spaces in the CWELCC system, with the largest reductions for families with the youngest children in less affordable communities. The Ontario government is also introducing a new cost-based funding approach for child care operators, effective January 2025. This approach aims to simplify administration and ensure funding is based on the true costs of operating child care.

Ontario has called on the federal government to increase funding for the national child care program to ensure its sustainability. The province's agreement with the federal government includes a mid-agreement program review.

Since signing the agreement with the federal government in 2022, Ontario has reduced child care fees by an average of 50% from 2020 levels, introduced a Child Care Workforce Strategy, and launched a plan to create thousands of new licensed child care spaces across the province.