Information for parents

Parents can choose from licensed home-based child care, licensed centre-based child care or Informal (unlicensed) child care. Also find out about school age care.

Licensed child care

Licensed child care programs are offered in homes and in centres. These programs are licensed by the Ministry of Education and must meet specific provincial standards that provide for the health, safety and developmental needs of children.

Learn more about licensed home-based child care (link is external).
Learn more about licensed centre-based child care (link is external).

Search for licensed child care (link is external) by:

• Location;
• Type of program (home-based or centre-based);
• Age-group; and
• Postal Code.

This provincial website also gives the results of inspections conducted by the Ministry of Education for any licensed child care home or centre.

Informal (unlicensed) care

Informal child care arrangements are made between the parents and a caregiver, such as a neighbour, relative or friend. Parents should be aware that informal caregivers are not regulated. This means they are neither licensed nor inspected. As a result, they are not required to meet provincial standards. It is up to parents to research, choose and monitor their child care arrangements. Child care subsidies are not available for informal care.

The Ministry of Education provides a Registry of Unlicensed Child Care Violations (link is external) for reported violations. For example, a violation could be too many children in care or not following the approved ages in care.

Learn more about informal care by visiting the Child Care Providers Resource Network of Ottawa (link is external).

School age care

Learn about care for children attending elementary school such as before and after school hours, at lunch, during school breaks and on days when schools are closed. Many full-day kindergarten programs (link is external) offer before- and after-school programs. 

To get information on attendance boundaries, visit the school board websites:

• Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (link is external)
• Ottawa Catholic School Board (link is external)
• Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (link is external)
• Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (link is external)

For detailed information about child care and help with your daycare costs, please consult the Parent Guide to Licensed Child Care in Ottawa [ PDF – 835 KB ] PDF opens in a new tab or window.

City of Ottawa Child Care Registry and Waitlist – An online system that allows parents to apply for licensed centre-based or home-based (PDF opens in a new tab or window) child care; low income parents can also apply to the Waitlist for a child care subsidy fee.

The average rates for child care in the City of Ottawa by ward for Centre Based Child Care Services and Home Child Care Services PDF opens in a new tab or window (updated May 11, 2016).

Ministry of Education (link is exernal) – Learn about child care choices in Ontario, how to find a child care provider, how to prepare your child for child care and much more.

Ontario Early Years Centres – Find a centre in Ottawa where children up to the age of six and their parents and caregivers can take part in programs and activities together.

School Boards – Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (link is external), Ottawa Catholic School Board (link is external), Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (link is external), Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (link is external).

Families attending the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board for English as a Second Language, Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada or Literacy and Basic Skills classes can get free-on-site child care (link is external).

Licensed Home Child Care Network of Ottawa (link is external) – For people who may be interested in providing licensed home care, or for parents interested in finding licensed home care.

The New Child Care and Early Years Act “What Providers and Parents Need to Know” (link is external) - Answers key questions about how the changes under the new Act will affect licensed and unlicensed child care providers in Ontario.

Among the hundreds of licensed child care homes and centres in Ottawa, the City of Ottawa operates ten child care programs which are licensed by the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Years Act:

Licensing reports for all centre-based licensed child care programs are available on the provincial licensed child care finder(link is external).

Municipal child care centres

The City of Ottawa will reopen all 10 Municipal child care centres on July 6. Provincial restrictions limit the number of children who can attend. Priority criteria was set to determine placements into limited spaces. Parents with active placements will be advised on placement status for July 6 reopening.

All licensed child care providers are required to follow new provincial operational guidance(link is external) PDF opens in a new tab or window. This guidance includes enhanced health and safety protocols, as well as the advice of local public health units, to ensure the safety of child care staff and children

• 10 City-operated centres in a group setting for children 18 months to 5 years old
• Open Monday to Friday
• Services are available in English or French
• Qualified staff provide educational programs with indoor and outdoor activities
• Provide nutritious meals/snacks based on Healthy Eating and Active Living Guidelines from Ottawa Public Health
• Help may be available to pay for child care costs

List of Municipal child care centres

To get more detailed information about a centre, contact a centre directly. To make an application to one of the centres, go to the online City of Ottawa Child Care Registry and Waitlist.(link is external)
 

List of Municipal child care centres

Name of Centre	Ages and language	Hours	Contact
Borden Farm Child Care Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	170 Chesterton Drive 613-224-1411 mccbordenfarm@ottawa.ca
Charmian Craven Child Care Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	2071 Jasmine Crescent 613-746-9286 mccharmiancraven@ottawa.ca
Dr. E. Couture Child Care Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	2185 Riverside Drive 613-731-2980 mccdrcouture@ottawa.ca
Elsie Stapleford Child Care Centre	2 ½ to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	1000 Teron Road 613-592-5151 mccelsiestapleford@ottawa.ca
Esther By Child Care Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:30 pm	1550 Caldwell Avenue 613-729-3242 mccestherby@ottawa.ca
Foster Farm Child Care Centre	2 ½ to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:30 pm	1056 Ramsey Crescent 613-829-8939 mccfosterfarm@ottawa.ca
Huron Early Learning Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	24 Capilano Drive 613-224-4878 mcchuron@ottawa.ca
Centre éducatif Pinocchio	18 months to 5 years (French)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	111 Sussex Drive 613-789-1027 mccpinocchio@ottawa.ca
Centre éducatif Tournesol	18 months to 5 years (French)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	194 McArthur Road 613-745-2729 mcctournesol@ottawa.ca
St. Luke's Child Care Centre	18 months to 5 years (English)	7:30 am to 5:45 pm	110 Laurier Avenue West 613-234-3617 mccstlukes@ottawa.ca

Schools are closed, but teachers are providing learning through the internet and by phone. Schools are offering many different resources to help children keep up with their education. Remember to check in with your child(ren)’s school at least once before the end of the school year.

You can call the school and leave a message on the answering machine. If you have email, you can send an email to the school principal. Email addresses are on the homepage of your child(ren)'s school's website. Or, you can contact the Human Needs Task Force at HNTF@ottawa.ca and tell them you need help reaching the school. We will help you connect with them.

Online educational supports fact sheet PDF opens in new tab or window.

Quality indicators for early learning

Ministry of Education - Ontario's Pedagogy for Early Years (link is external) - How does learning happen?

College of Early Childhood Educators (link is external)

Child Care and Early Years Act 2014 (link is external)

Healthy living and parenting

Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (link is external) - committed to protecting the children and youth in our community from abuse and neglect

Ottawa Public Health (link is external) - Provides public health programs and services to Ottawa individuals and communities while advocating for public policies that make our city and its residents healthier. Includes a wealth of programs and services like access to health and dental care; mental and emotional health; nutrition; sexual health; pregnancy and babies; and much more 

Community Health and Resource Centres (link is external)

Parachute (link is external) - A national, charitable organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives 

Special needs

Ministry of Children and Youth Services (link is external) - Provides parents with information about infant hearing programs, speech and language programs, infant development and more

Children’s Inclusive Support Services (link is external) - Provides resources and funding so that children with special needs enrolled in licensed programs may get the extra help they need

Other resources

Canadian Child Care Federation (link is external) - A valuable resource for educators, service providers, parents, policy providers, media, business, government and community leaders; may also fit on operators page

Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (link is external) - Advocate for universal, affordable, high quality, not-for-profit child care in Ontario

Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre (link is external) - Serves Inuit children, youth and their children in partnership with parents and the community

Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (link is external) - Provides detailed demographic information on Ottawa neighbourhoods and the people who live there

Canada Child Benefit (link is external) – A tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age