Apply for child care fee subsidy

How much will I pay for child care? 

The amount you pay for child care or your parental contribution depends on your family income, the child’s age, child care program, and the number of hours a child attends each month.  The actual cost of child care is determined through the application process.  

Use the fee subsidy calculator on the Get help with your child care costs page to get an estimate of how much you may have to pay monthly for licensed child care. 

Types of child care eligible for fee subsidy 

Families can receive a fee subsidy for children who receive care from a participating:  

• Licensed child care centre  
• Licensed home-based service provider  
• Before and after school program listed in Child Care Registry and Waitlist
• Summer care program 

Secure a child care Space

A family must secure a child care space at a CWELCC enrolled child care program before they can be assessed for child care fee subsidy eligibility. Visit the Apply for child care page to complete an application for licensed child care. 

Eligibility for fee subsidy is based on your reason for child care and financial need. 

Reason for child care

To be eligible for fee subsidy, you must be involved in one of the following activities:

• Working (full-time, part-time, self-employed)
• Going to school or a training program
• Looking for work (up to six months in a 24-month period)
• Have a Social/Special (parent or child)
• Receive Ontario Works benefits (with an active Action Plan as part of your Common Assessment)
• Receive Ontario Disability Support Program benefits (ODSP)
• Referral by a professional agency such as the Children’s Aid Society

Financial need

Financial need is based on your family income. Use the fee subsidy calculator on the Get help with your child care costs page to get an estimate of how much you may have to pay monthly for licensed child care through the child care fee subsidy program. 

To use this calculator, you will need:

• Information from line 236 of your Federal Notice of Assessment (NOA) and your partner’s NOA (if applicable);
• or your family net income amount from your Canada Child Benefit (CCB) notice.

Completing the child care subsidy calculator provides an estimate for screening purposes only. It does not confirm actual eligibility.

Submit documents within 90-days of preferred start date of child care  

Child care fee subsidy applications are processed up to 90-days before the preferred start date of child care. You can begin your fee subsidy application when you apply for child care. However, you will only be able to submit the required documents once you are within 90-days from your preferred start date. You will receive an email notification to alert you when it is time to submit your documents.

Required documents

You will need to submit: 

•  five types of documents and  
• a Rights and Responsibilities Agreement and Consent to Disclose and Verify Information form.  Note: Download in .pdf format to read in Adobe Acrobat.

You may print this Document checklist [ 103 KB ]

After signing electronically, upload it with your other documentation. You can also get a copy of the form from any of the Employment and Social Service Centres.  

You may print this Document checklist [ 103 KB ]

The five documents and form can be submitted through your online fee subsidy application, by email to ChildrensServices@ottawa.ca or in person at an Employment and Social Service Centre. Go to the Apply section for more details.  

Note: Your application for fee subsidy cannot be assessed until all required documents are received.   

• If your preferred child care start date is within 90 days, you can submit your documents  
• If your preferred child care start date is greater than 90-days, you can wait and then submit your documents within 90-days of your preferred start date.  

The five types of documents you will need for your child care subsidy application are: 

1. Income source

Please provide one of the following: 

• Canada Revenue Agency *Notice of Assessment (for each parent/caregiver)
• Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
• Canada Revenue Agency Proof of Income Statement (for each parent/caregiver)
• Proof of receipt of Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (if applicable)

*Effective every July, the most recent Notice of Assessment for the previous tax year is accepted. Income Tax returns and T4s are not accepted. For example: July 1, 2025 requires a 2024 Notice of Assessment. 

If you are a newcomer to Canada and have not yet filed your income tax, you must provide proof of your landing date in Canada: Record of Landing (IMM1000) and/or Canadian Permanent Resident Identification.

2. Proof of identity and status in Canada 

Provide one of the following documents for each family member (this includes parents/caregivers and children) in the household: 

• Canadian Birth Certificate or Statement of Live Birth
• Canadian Passport 
• Immigration documents:
• Canadian Citizenship Card or Canadian Citizenship Certificate (front and back) 
• Permanent Resident
• Protected Person Status Visitor Status under Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program
• Driver’s License
• Certificate of Indian Status 

Both sides of ID cards are to be copied and current. Health Cards and Social Insurance cards are not accepted.

3. Reason for care: education, employment and special needs

Provide one of the following for each family member in the household (this includes parents/caregivers and children): 

Employment documents

• Two most current consecutive pay stubs 
• Employment letter, on company letterhead, containing contact name, phone number, start date and weekly work schedule. This letter should be signed by the human resources department or a manager or supervisor. 

Returning to work from maternity leave, parental leave or other leave

• Letter from your employer confirming return to work date and work hours
• Employment Insurance (EI) claim summary (must include the end of date claim)

Self-employment documents

• Signed Declaration of Self-Employment
• Copy of business registration, license, contract, or business plan
• Most recent T1 General

Receiving Ontario Works

You must have a current Common Assessment with an approved Action Plan.

Receiving Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)

If your spouse is not a person with a disability, verification of a reason for child care required.

Parent/Caregiver or Child is a person with special or social need 

If you or your child have a special or social need, the child care fee subsidy program will provide you with a Therapeutic referral form to be completed by your health care provider or community agency that works with your family on an ongoing basis.

School or training program registration

• School registration with class schedule, or
• Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Summary Assessment which states your student status (part time or full time)

4. Proof of address

Provide one of the following to confirm you live in Ottawa:

• Lease or recent Notice of Rent Increase
• Mortgage 
• Property tax bill
• Recent rent receipt with landlord’s name and phone number 
• Letter from landlord
• Two recent utility bills from different companies (exceptions can be made)
• A recent letter from the government of Ontario or Canada (other than your Tax Information verification) 

Note: Documents submitted must have the parent/caregiver’s name and be recent (within the last 90-days). 

5. Child custody documents or court documents

Provide one of the following custody documents if the other parent of your child does not reside with you or you have a child who is in your temporary care:

• Child Custody Agreement
• Court order
• Affidavit (must be commissioned)
• Guardian Parental Declaration form
• Temporary Care Agreement

Important: You must complete a child care application and receive confirmation of a child care space before your eligibility for fee subsidy can be assessed.  However, you can start a child care fee subsidy application after you submit your child care application. You must be within 90-days of your preferred child care start date to submit the required documents and finish your application. Once you are within 90-days of your preferred child care start date, you will receive a notification by email telling you to submit the required documentation to complete your fee subsidy application. Visit the “Contact” section if you have any questions.  

Before you apply, ensure you have all the required documents and identification. Read the eligibility requirements and make sure you understand what happens after you apply. You may be asked to provide additional information or documents during the assessment process.

Follow these steps to complete your application:

Log into the CCRAW  

1. Go to the online Child Care Registry and Waitlist.  
2. If you are a new applicant, visit the Apply for child care page to create a new account. You must apply for licensed child care, before applying for child care subsidy. 
3. If you are a returning user, log into your existing account.  

Start your application  

1. Select the "Apply for subsidy” tab in the menu.  
2. After reading the disclaimer, select “Next step”.  
3. Complete the section “Application questions” and select “Next step”.  

Information  

1. Complete the section “Personal Information”. Information already added in the My Details step will be auto populated on this step. 
   Note: If you require an interpreter, please select the box beside “Interpreter is required” and indicate which language an interpreter is needed for in the comment box. Once complete, select “Next step”.  
2. Complete the section “Spousal information” If the marital status is Single, Divorced, Separated or Widowed, this step will be blank, Continue by selecting Next step.  
3. Indicate whether other adults are living in your home. If so, select “Yes” and add their information. Once complete, select “Next step”.  
4. Complete the section “Children information”. Select “Add child” and add information for all children under the age of 18 living in your home that do not require child care. Once complete, select “Next step”. 
5. Complete the section “Reason for seeking child care subsidy” by selecting the option that most applies to your family situation. Select, “Next step”.  
6. Complete the section “Preferences”. In some cases, an appointment with a fee subsidy case worker is required. Select the preferred time you would like someone from the subsidy office to potentially contact you and the preferred day of the week. Also, choose your preferred subsidy office location.  Once complete, select “Next step”.   

Documentation  

1. If you are within 90-days of your preferred child care start date, upload the necessary documentation. Once all documents have been uploaded, select “Next step”.  
2. Note: If you are not within 90-days of your preferred start date, you will need to return to your application and submit your documentation once you are within that window of time. You will receive a notification by email telling you when to submit your required documentation.  
3. Read the agreement disclaimer. It includes a Paid Days Away policy with important terms that could impact your application or existing fee subsidy assistance. Ensure that you read and complete the Rights and Responsibilities form for your application. For easier access, download the document in .pdf format and open it with Adobe Acrobat.  Once completed, upload the document to your application. 

Complete application  

1. To finish your application, select the box “I agree to the above” and select the “Complete” button.   
   Important: If you do not select the “Complete” button, your application will not be processed.  
2. The City will contact you once you have secured a child care space to discuss eligibility.   

Note: All parents on the Registry and Waitlist must log into their account every 60 days to keep their account active. Please keep your information up to date so that child care service providers have the most current information to contact you quickly when they have a child care space to fill. Failure to keep your account active will result in a final notification advising you that your application(s) for child care will no longer be active in the Child Care Registry and Waitlist. 

If you cannot apply online or submit your documents online, you can mail, or drop off documents at any of our four Employment and Social Service Centres. You can also use computers at any of the four sites to complete your application and print the required consent form.  

Once you have completed your child care fee subsidy application, you will receive an email confirming that you have been placed on the waitlist. 

You must secure a child care space before a child care case worker can determine your eligibility for fee subsidy. While you wait to secure a space, review the What you need section and upload your documents.  
 

Note: Once you have a space, your documents will be required within 2 business days to avoid losing your space. 
If you secure a space, you need to wait for a Placement Confirmation notice before putting your child in care. If you have not received a Placement Confirmation notice or confirmation of eligibility from a child care case worker, you will be responsible for the full cost of child care. 

Help with your application

To get support with your application questions email: ChildrensServices@ottawa.ca

Employment and Social Service Centres

Drop-off documents to any one of the four Employment and Social Service Centres. Offices are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm.

Visit one of the City’s four Employment and Social Services offices to access a computer.

Central

370 Catherine Street, 1st floor (near Bay Street)

East

2339 Ogilvie Road, 1st floor (Beacon Hill Shopping Centre)

West

100 Constellation Drive, 2nd Floor (near Baseline and Woodroffe)

South

2020 Walkley Road (near Conroy Road)

Technical Support

For technical support with your application, email: Support@OneHSN.com or call 1-888-722-1540.

Phone

Call 3-1-1 Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm and follow the prompts.

Language (1 for English, 2 for French)
Select 4 for Social Services and Child Care
Select 2 for Child Care
TTY Line 1-800-855-0511