Ontario entered into a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement and signed a $13.2 billion agreement with the Government of Canada that delivers savings and relief to families.
This includes lowering fees to an average of $10 per day for children five and under in licensed child care by September 2025.
The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement will:
- give families access to more affordable and high-quality child care options
- help lower child care fees for parents of children five years of age and under
- increase the number of child care spaces, and
- support the early years workforce
Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care Growth Plan 2023 - 2026
Expression of Interest: CWELCC Space Expansion and Start-Up Grant Application
To support the CWELCC vision, the Ministry of Education has provided funding to the City of Peterborough to create 485 new affordable licensed child care spaces in neighbourhoods with populations who need them most.The new licensed child care spaces will include a mix of not-for-profit and for-profit centre and home-based settings to provide families with choice and flexibility.
Application Process
The City has developed an Expression of Interest Application (EOI). The EOI will identify current or future licensed child care service providers in the City or County of Peterborough that are interested in creating new CWELCC-funded licensed community-based child care spaces between 2023 and 2026.
Interested service providers are required to submit a completed EOI to the City’s Children’s Services Manager at srobinson@peterborough.ca for review and assessment of funding eligibility. Receipt of the EOI will be confirmed by email.
What does this mean for parents?
Parents or guardians of children five and under do not have to apply to receive a child care fee reduction.
You may be eligible for reduced fees if:
- you pay more than $12 per day for child care and your child is:
- five years old and under
- six years old and enrolled in a licensed preschool, kindergarten or family age group or a licensed home child care premises, until June 30
- your licensed child care provider chooses to enroll in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System
The amount that you will save depends on the current fees your child care provider charges and may vary by region.
As of November 1, 2022, licensed child care agencies in our community listed below have enrolled in the CWELCC system. All sites operated by a multi-site agency are automatically enrolled in CWELCC when their agency chooses to participate.
Contact your child care program for more information about CWELCC participation.
Child care providers participating in CWELCC will also be required to update their parent handbooks with information on their CWELCC participation and reduced rates.
| Licensed Child Care Agencies enrolled in CWELCC in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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What does this mean for Child Care Providers?
Licensed child care providers can choose to participate in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System. As a licensed child care provider, you must apply to participate to help lower average fees for parents.
Child care providers who participate will receive funding to reduce fees and must operate under specific guidelines. Contact your local Children's Services Manager for more information and to apply.
Child care providers who do not participate in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System must continue to follow the rules and requirements for operating a licensed child care program. They will not receive funding to reduce child care fees.
Our Commitment
Children's Services is committed to providing services that:
- Foster early learning and child development
- Support children being cared for in a safe, and nurturing environment
- Support the inclusion of children with special needs in licensed child care
- Enable parents to work or undertake training or education leading to employment
- Provide links to other support services
Supports and partnerships
What we do:
- Supporting families who need help finding child care
- Supporting families who need help with the daily cost of child care
- Offering support services for children in licensed child care
- Offering EarlyON programs
- Partnering with licensed child care centres in the community and Municipal Child Care Programs
- Offering funding opportunities to licensed child care agencies
- Professionals and Community Planning Resources
High-Quality Licensed Child Care
Early childhood education provides Ontario's children with safe environments to explore, learn, and play. These safe spaces support ongoing dialogue and conversations between educators and children, challenging activities to encourage problem solving, and social and emotional learning to help create meaningful connections.
Learn more about the importance of high-quality childcare in our High-Quality Licensed Child Care Fact Sheet.
You must choose your child care arrangement. But we can help.
Apply for Child Care in the City and County of Peterborough using OneHSN Waitlist and Registry system.
OneHSN is a safe, secure, fast and convenient way to allow parents to:
- Locate programs close to either home or work.
- Apply for several child care options in one application.
- Access OneHSN website anytime, anywhere.
Use KeyON a new online platform to find and register for EarlyON programs in our community. Create your account today on KeyON's website or scan the QR code below.
KeyON offers a safe, secure, and convenient way for families to:
- Find programs on each EarlyON location calendar, and
- Pre-register for programs
Check out programs in the City and County of Peterborough on KeyON's Events page.
Types of Child Care
There are four different types of child care:
- Licensed Centre Child Care
- Licensed Home Child Care
- Unlicensed Home Child Care
- Care in the child’s home
The Child Care and Early Years Act set specific rules, regulations and standards that child care agencies must follow to get and keep a license. Licensed child care providers should have programs that include both active and quiet play, crafts, pretend play, outdoor play and many other kinds of learning. Licensed Child Care can be provided through:
- A Child Care Centre
- Home Child Care agencies
| Licensed Child Care Centres |
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The Province of Ontario provides the following information about licensed child care centres on their website: Licensed child care centres follow the rules, regulations and standards set out in the Child Care and Early Years Act. The Act ensure that minimum standards are met in areas of health, activities, nutrition and staff to child ratios. Licensed child care centres can care for
They may include:
Child care centres operate in a variety of locations including workplaces, community centres, schools and places of worship. Benefits of licensed child care centres:
How can parents know their child care is licensed? All licensed child care centres, home child care agencies, and homes contracted with a home child care agency receive and display decals to identify them as licensed by the government of Ontario. Do you need help with child care costs? Child Care Fee Subsidy helps with the cost of child care. Subsidized care is available for licensed child care centres and licensed home-based child care agencies that have an agreement with the City of Peterborough. |
| Licensed Home Child Care |
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The Province of Ontario provides the following information about licensed home child care on their website: Individual home caregivers are contracted by home child care agencies that are licensed by the Ministry. An individual home child care provider that is overseen by a licensed agency can care for up to six children under the age of 13, which must include any of their own children under the age of four. These providers may care for:
They may offer:
Benefits of home child care:
How can parents know their child care is licensed? All licensed child care centres, home child care agencies, and homes contracted with a home child care agency receive and display decals to identify them as licensed by the government of Ontario. Do you need help with child care costs? Child Care Fee Subsidy helps with the cost of child care. Subsidized care is available for licensed child care centres and licensed home-based child care agencies that have an agreement with the City of Peterborough |
| Unlicensed Home Child Care |
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The Province of Ontario provides the following information about unlicensed child care on their website: Unlicensed caregivers are not inspected by the Ministry of Education, and are not required to meet most provincial standards. However, the Ministry of Education does investigate all complaints from the public about child care providers who may be operating illegally. Under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, unlicensed child care providers are not allowed to care for more than five children, which includes:
This limit on the number of children applies regardless of how many adults are present at the home. Unlicensed providers may not operate at multiple premises. |
| Care in the Child’s Home |
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Care in the child’s home is not inspected by the Ministry of Education, is not required to meet most provincial standards. In this category, a caregiver either lives in or comes to the family’s home to care for the child (nanny), keeping the child in his or her normal surroundings, with familiar toys and routines. This is convenient for the family and offers flexibility. However, it can be more expensive. Parents/Guardians choosing this form of child care need to be aware that they become employers and need to follow the Employment Standards Act. |
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