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Thriving in the City for families: What does it cost to live a healthy life?

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Author: 
Elliott, S. & Cheff, R.
Format: 
Report
Publication Date: 
1 Sep 2021

Excerpted from child care section

Cost estimates

Child care: $18,267 per year

This component assumes that both parents work full-time and require child care for their preschool and school-age children. The cost estimates are based on daily rates specifically for licensed, non-profit child care and are drawn from a YMCA child care centre in Toronto which has similar rates to YMCA child care centres in Mississauga. The YMCA was selected as it is one of the largest licensed child care providers in the GTA with a curriculum designed to enhance children’s development.53 It is also a non-profit provider which tends to be more affordable than for-profit providers.54 While child care rates differ across the GTA based on the provider and type of care (i.e., profit/non-for-profit, licensed/unlicensed, home/centre-based)54, this estimate provides a general sense of the cost of licensed, non-profit, centre-based child care in the GTA. Full-time child care for the preschool-age child was calculated for 260 days (days per year minus the weekends). Before and after school care for the school-age child was calculated for 196 days (number of available school days in 2020-21).55 And, full-day child care for the school-age child was calculated for 11 weeks of break care (i.e., March Break, Winter Break, Summer Break). It is assumed that the family will take a one-week of vacation together during a school break and will not require child care during that time. PA days are included within the before-and-after school care rate, therefore are not included as a separate, full-day child care cost.

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