Background
On March 28, 2022, Ontario signed the Canada-Ontario early years and child care agreement(link is external) with the Government of Canada. The resulting Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system(link is external):
- Gives families more affordable child care options
- Helps lower child care fees for eligible families
- Supports those working in the child care and early years sector
The system aims to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day for eligible families by 2026. Starting January 1, 2025, fees for eligible families participating in CWELCC programs are a maximum of $22 per day.
Eligible families can receive reduced child care fees if their child care provider participates in the CWELCC system. To check which service providers are part of the system, visit the Child Care Registry and Waitlist (CCRAW)(link is external) and talk to your child care provider.
Eligibility
Eligibility
There is no separate application for the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) fee reduction. When you apply for licensed child care, choose service providers that participate in the CWELCC system to receive the reduced fee of $22 per day.
Important note: Not all licensed child care programs participate in the CWELCC system. Contact your child care service provider to confirm if you will pay the reduced fee of $22 per day.
Qualifying for the CWELCC fee reduction is based on program and your child's age.
Program
Your child must be enrolled in a licensed child care program that participates in the CWELCC system. Camps and recreation programs are not eligible for the CWELCC system.
Age
Your child must be under six years old. For children who are about to turn six or have recently turned six:
- Your child is eligible for a CWELCC fee reduction until the last day of the month they turn six. For example, a child who turns six on November 10 is eligible for their CWELCC reduced fee until the end of November.
- If your child turns six between January 1 and June 30 while attending a CWELCC program, such as an extended day program, pre-school, licensed family age group, kindergarten or home child care program, they can continue to receive a CWELCC reduced fee until June 30 of that same year.
For families who receive child care fee-subsidy
Fee subsidies are financial aid provided by the City of Ottawa. These are different from a CWELCC-funded fee reduction. Need help with the cost of child care? You can apply to get help with your child care costs.
Non-participating providers
What if my child care service provider is not participating in the CWELCC system?
- Families will not be eligible for any refund or reduction in fees
- The provider will not receive CWELCC funding
- The provider will continue to set their own fees
Find licensed child care
The Ottawa Child Care Registry and Waitlist(link is external) is an online application tool for families/caregivers looking for licensed child care. With it you can:
- Apply for licensed care, including:
- Home-based care
- Centre-based care
- School age care
- Nursery/pre-school care
- Apply for child care fee subsidy
- Find the list of CWELCC-participating service providers
Not sure what kind of child care is right for your child? Learn more about the types of child care. Ready to apply for child care? Visit apply for child care.
Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care directed growth strategy
The Provincial CWELCC Directed Growth Strategy explains the approach the City is taking to create new, CWELCC-funded child care spaces for schools and communities across Ottawa until 2026. This strategy will be applied in phases and will depend on provincial goals and available funding. The City manages and directs this strategy at the local level.
CWELCC system
The CWELCC system is not universal, and spaces are limited based on provincial guidelines and funding. The current demand for new CWELCC spaces in Ottawa exceeds the availability. The City is actively working with the Province to advocate for additional CWELCC-funded child care spaces to better support families in our community.
CWELCC directed growth strategy background
In 2023, the Province changed its approach from open to directed CWELCC-growth. With this approach, funding is provided to create a limited number of new CWELCC-funded spaces, with a goal to support areas and groups most in need.
The Province allocated 2,903 new CWELCC-funded child care spaces for Ottawa from 2023 to 2026. This includes 713 child care spaces for new school-based locations and 2,190 child care spaces for the community. The City used provincial guidelines, the Provincial Access and Inclusion Framework(link is external), and the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan Opens in a new tab or window(link is external) to inform the local directed growth strategy.
Both an equity and inclusion lens, and an evidence-based approach, were also used to identify:
- Priority groups in need of CWELCC-funded spaces, including:
- Indigenous children
- Francophone children
- Children with special needs
- Children from diverse communities including Black, racialized and newcomers
- Low-income families
- Sole support parents/families
- Priority areas of the city to increase access to affordable child care. This includes neighbourhoods that are underserved and experiencing lower socio-economic status.
The City recognizes that many areas of Ottawa have equity, diversity and inclusion needs. The goal of the local strategy is to work toward ensuring that 40 per cent of families in these priority areas can access affordable child care.
New CWELCC-funded child care spaces
In spring 2023, The City invited child care service providers to express their interest in new CWELCC-funded spaces through a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) process. This process followed the Provincial guidelines, The City’s directed growth strategy, and the Child Care and Early Year Service System Plan Opens in a new tab or window(link is external).
Key points about CWELCC-growth:
- The REOI focused only on new community-based child care spaces. New school-based child care spaces are pre-determined by the Province.
- The REOI aimed to meet Provincial targets for keeping or growing not-for-profit licensed child care spaces.
In summer 2023, the City assessed all REOI applications and allocated new community child care spaces for 2023 to 2024. Eligible service providers included:
- Not-for-profit service providers
- Those located in priority neighbourhoods, and
- Agencies showing high levels of readiness
These service providers also received Provincial Start-up Grants to create new CWELCC-funded child care spaces.
Read the July 25, 2024 Memo to Council for more information about the 2023 to 2024 Request for Expression of Interest and Directed Growth Strategy.
Next steps
The City continues to work with the Province to expand the CWELCC program and support local child care service providers to offer high quality and affordable child care.
The Child Care Registry and Waitlist (CCRAW)(link is external) is updated as new CWELCC-funded child care spaces become available. Families can keep their information and preferred providers up to date using the CCRAW(link is external).