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
Apply for child care fee subsidy
Child care fee subsidy helps a family with the cost of licensed child care. The City of Ottawa prioritizes individuals that are in most need. Wait times for a fee subsidy will vary, based on spaces.
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 36 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:
- Email ChildrensServices@ottawa.ca,
- Visit an Employment and Social Service Centre
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
Pay your child care fees
Families with one or more children enrolled at a municipal child care centre or who receive child care fee subsidy, can pay child care fees online or through pre-authorized payments. Review the steps below to make your payment.
Contact us
For questions related to your subsidy application or subsidy status, contact us:
Phone
Call 3-1-1 between 8:30 am and 4 pm:
- Select 1 for service in English or 2 for service in French
- Select 4 for Community and Social Services
- Select 2 for Child Care
- Bell Relay TTY 1-800-855-0511
In-person
Employment and Social Services Centres are open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.