New national child care system

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Background

On March 28, 2022, Ontario signed onto the new Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement initiated and funded by the Government of Canada.

CWELCC is a five-year plan to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day for eligible families.

Child care fee reduction is available for eligible families whose child care service providers have opted into the CWELCC System. Families are to contact their child care providers for fee reduction.

Funding overview
  • $13.2 billion for Ontario from the federal government over six years (2022-2026)
  • 86,000 expected new child care spaces for children five years old and older in Ontario by the end of 2026
  • $60 million for the City of Ottawa in 2022 for:
    • Reduced fees for families
    • Workforce compensation
    • Program delivery costs to implement and administer these new programs

For families

The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) System:

  • Gives families more affordable child care options
  • Helps lower child care fees for eligible families
  • Increases child care spaces
  • Supports early years workers

What this means for families:

Fee reduction is provided by child care providers that have opted into the CWELCC System. The amount that families will save depends on what they are currently paying and may vary from one provider to another. Please contact your child care service provider to confirm fee reduction in 2023.

Camps and authorized recreation programs are not eligible to participate in the CWELCC System.

For eligible full fee-paying families

Child care service providers that have opted into the CWELCC System are responsible for fee reductions. Please contact your child care service provider for fee reduction in 2023.

For eligible families receiving a child care fee-subsidy

  • 2023 fee reduction will be processed by the City of Ottawa.
  • Families do not need to apply to receive a reduction.

Provider has chosen not to participate

  • Provider will not receive CWELCC funding.
  • Provider will continue to set their own fees.
  • Families will not be eligible for any refund or reduction in fees.
  • Families who want a provider participating in CWELCC can login to the City of Ottawa Child Care Registry and Waitlist to find the list of providers that have opted-in the CWELCC System.

For licensed child care service providers - apply

Existing providers

Opt-in/out and Enrolment in 2023 CWELCC:

  • Enrolment in 2023 CWELCC:
  • New agencies or agencies that have opted-out of CWELCC in 2022: Providers must meet the Provincial eligibility requirements of demonstrating financial viability, maintaining existing (pre-CWELCC announcement on March 28,2022) licensed spaces for children ages 0-5, and maintaining their child care fees at the rate charged prior to the CWELCC announcement on March 28, 2022 (the 2022 fee freeze) or at the Regional maximum established by the province for new licenses.  
  • Agencies that have opted-in CWELCC in 2022: Providers must meet the Provincial eligibility requirements of demonstrating financial viability, maintaining existing (pre-CWELCC announcement on March 28,2022) licensed spaces for children ages 0-5, and reducing their child care fees up to 50% as part of the second fee reduction of CWELCC starting December 31, 2022..

To apply or to ask question about the 2023 CWELCC System, email childrensservices@ottawa.ca.

Providers who have opted-in to the CWELCC System may withdraw their application, or terminate their participation in the system, subject to the terms of their Child Care Contribution Agreement (which includes the CWELCC System service agreement) without any penalties.

  • An additional 2.75% will be provided to all enrolled providers as of December 31, 2022, to support cost increases that providers may face. For spaces created after this date, the government of Ontario will have further information in the future.
  • Audited Financial Statement are required for all child care providers in receipt of CWELCC Funding.
  • If a licensed provider opted-out of CWELCC, families fees will not be reduced. Licensed providers not participating in CWELCC may continue to operate under the existing Provincial licensing and regulatory framework and set their own fees.
  • The funding policy and plan of the new system were approved by City Council on June 22, 2022. The development of the funding policy and plan was supported by the Child Care and Early Years System Planning Advisory Group, Table Francophone, and Indigenous Early Years Circle. Wage enhancement funding will be available for eligible Registered Early Childhood Educators employed in 2022 and for professional learning opportunities.

The Provincial definitions of an eligible child are:

    1. Children who turn six between January and June, and are enrolled in a licensed Kindergarten program, are eligible until June 30 of each calendar year. 
    2. Children who turn six between January and June and are enrolled in a licensed school age program, are eligible until the end of their birth month. 
    3. Children who turn six later in the year (July to December), are eligible until the end of their birth month regardless of the type of child care programs they attend.  
    4. Children who turn six between January and June, and are attending licensed home child care, in an agency placed or privately placed space, are eligible until June 30 of each calendar year.  
    5. Children who turn six later in the year (July to December), and are attending licensed home child care, in an agency placed or privately placed space, are eligible until the end of their birth month.  

New providers

Children’s Services’ role and next steps
  • We are following the Provincial guidelines and implementing the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) System in phases.
  • Our immediate focus is affordability for families – an additional fee reduction of 37% to be implemented effective December 31, 2022.
  • We are supporting the enrollment of providers interested in participating in the CWELCC System. Opting-in will ensure that eligible families will benefit from the increased affordability of child care cost.
  • We continue to provide updates as they are available and communicate directly with licensed providers and families.
  • To apply or ask questions about the CWELCC System, email childrensservices@ottawa.ca.