Get help with your child care costs

Important changes to fee subsidy application process

Effective December 1: Before the City can determine child care fee subsidy eligibility, families must first apply for child care and secure a space at a CWELCC-enrolled child care program. Learn more about child care fee subsidy. 

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Child care fee subsidy

Child care fee subsidy is a financial assistance program that can help families with low and moderate incomes with the costs of licensed child care. Fee subsidy is available for children up to age 13 at licensed child care programs or licensed home providers in Ottawa. Based on eligibility, the subsidy may cover all, or part, of a family’s child care costs.

Families with children in licensed child care participating in the Canada Wide Early Learning Child Care System (CWELCC) system may also qualify for subsidy. The City works directly with local child care service providers to offer high quality and affordable child care for all families.

To qualify for subsidy, you must:

  • Live in Ottawa
  • Have a child who is 12 years-old or younger
  • Meet the financial need for care
  • Have a reason for care
  • Hold eligible immigration or refugee status

Check your eligibility for a child care fee subsidy

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Use this calculator to see if you may qualify for a child care fee subsidy.

Important notes:

  • The calculator provides a basic estimate based on average costs. It does not guarantee eligibility or approval
  • For children aged 0-5, only child care agencies enrolled in the CWELCC program can accept fee subsidy placements.
  • You must have a space secured in a licensed child care program before applying.

Step 1: Enter taxable income
Find the taxable income on line 23600 of your last year’s Notice of Assessment or Reassessment (e.g., for 2024 child care, use your 2023 document). Do not include commas.
The "Parent or guardian 1" field is required
If you receive the Universal Child Care Benefit, your adjusted income may be slightly lower.

Step 2: Enter number of children needing care
The total number of children must be greater or equal to 1.
Note: Child care costs for children aged 6-12 are set by providers. Eligibility for subsidies depends on these costs.
You may be eligible for a child care fee subsidy
Next step: Complete the child care free subsidy application.
Note: Eligibility is not guaranteed until your application is reviewed and approved.
You may not be eligible for child care fee subsidy. Learn more about the eligibility requirements.

After your subsidy is approved

Maintaining subsidy

To maintain your fee subsidy, you must follow the guidelines in the Rights and Responsibilities document this includes an annual file review.

A review of your file will be completed at least once a year. You will be contacted by a case worker to provide updated documents to assess your ongoing eligibility. Any changes to your family’s situation and/or financial status can impact your eligibility for child care fee subsidy.

Your responsibilities

You may need to repay any fee subsidy payment that is made to you if you have any undeclared changes or misrepresentation to your family’s situation that affects your childcare fee subsidy eligibility (called an overpayment). You must repay all overpayments, even if you are no longer receiving a fee subsidy.

Changes to your family’s situation may include: 

  • Address, phone number and e-mail address
  • Marital or cohabitation status
  • Birth of children
  • Child custody arrangements
  • Participation in activities that support your recognized need for care
  • Salary changes and source of income

Absences from a child care program

Families must contact the child care program directly to report an absence. Each child with a fee subsidy receives up to 52 allowable days each calendar year (January 1 to December 31) for absences. For more information about absences from your child care program, please contact a child care case worker. A request for additional days of absence can be made through your child care case worker before exceeding all your child's allowable absent days. Families can complete the online Paid Days Away Request Form.

Questions about or appealing a child care fee subsidy decision

Questions about your child care subsidy file

If you have questions about your child care fee subsidy application or found an error, contact the City by email, phone, or in-person. This includes any questions about your Provincial Income Test results and for help understanding a decision. 

When you contact the City, provide: 

  • Your Applicant ID  
  • Important details about your question

Appealing a decision

If you disagree with a decision about your child care fee subsidy application, you can request an appeal within 10 business days of receiving the decision.  If you are unable to request an appeal within 10 business days because of reasons beyond your control, explain this when you contact the City.  

To request an appeal:

The City will provide a decision on your appeal within 10 days of receiving your request. The City may contact you with follow-up questions or request additional documents. This may add time required to reach a final decision about your application. 

Legal advice

Legal Aid Ontario provides legal assistance for low-income residents. For advice on your appeal from a community legal clinic, you can contact:

Legal Aid Ontario
Tel: 1-800-668-8258
TTY: 1-866-641-8867
info@lao.on.ca

Contact us

For questions related to your subsidy application or subsidy status, contact us:

Email

ChildrensServices@ottawa.ca

Phone

613-580-2424, ext. 24100
Bell Relay TTY 1-800-855-0511

Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm 

In person – Employment and Social Service Centres

Central

370 Catherine Street, 1st floor (near Bay Street)
Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 am to 4 pm 

East

2339 Ogilvie Road, 1st floor (in the Beacon Hill Shopping Centre)
Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 4 pm 

West

100 Constellation Drive, 2nd Floor (near Baseline and Woodroffe)
Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm. 

South

2020 Walkley Road (near Conroy Road)
Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 4 pm