Excerpt
Introduction
Ontario recognizes the vital role that a strong and accessible child care and early years system plays in supporting families across the province. High-quality early years and child care is fundamental in children’s learning, development and well-being. We are committed to investing in this system to shape the future of our children and enhance the prosperity of our communities.
This report provides an annual snapshot and detailed year-over-year trends of Ontario’s child care sector that will help inform future plans and policy. In addition, the report supports Ontario's commitments to informing the public on progress made under the federal-provincial early learning and child care agreements. Most of the data presented in this report were collected between March 2023 and March 2024.
In 2022, Ontario and Canada signed the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement that will support Ontario to achieve average fees of $10 per day for children under the age of six in participating child care programs by the end of fiscal year 2025-26. The agreement prioritizes five key areas: lowering fees, increasing access, enhancing quality, supporting inclusion and strengthening data and reporting.
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