Executive Summary
This report analyzes data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Ministry of Education on the use of Director Approvals (DAs) under O. Reg. 137/15, s. 54(1), item 2 of Ontario’s Child Care and Early Years Act between 2020 and 2025 (as of May 30). DAs permit individuals who are not Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) to temporarily fulfill roles that generally require an RECE qualification.
The data reveal a sharp and sustained increase in the use of DAs across Ontario’s licensed child care system. Originally intended as a temporary measure to address short-term staffing gaps, DAs have now become a structural mechanism to keep programs operational amid chronic shortages of qualified educators.
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, the total number of child care centres with DAs grew by 1,156%, with projections showing continued growth through 2025-26. The rise in DAs has outpaced the development of the RECE workforce, indicating that Ontario’s early learning and child care system is becoming increasingly reliant on non-qualified staff to maintain basic licensing compliance.
Across Ontario, the number of supervisory and program staff working under DAs has increased most sharply, showing that workforce instability affects all levels of program operation. While the number of RECEs in good standing continues to grow each year modestly, this growth has not translated into stable staffing levels. The data instead reveal a staffing and retention crisis.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that the use of DAs has become a systemic response to workforce shortages, with implications for quality, accountability, and Ontario’s ability to meet its Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) expansion targets.
Addressing these challenges will be essential to building a stable, qualified workforce capable of delivering high-quality early learning and care for all children in Ontario. A province-wide, fully funded, pay equity-compliant, wage grid for RECEs, paired with retention measures such as paid professional learning and comprehensive benefits, is urgently needed to stabilize the workforce. Ensuring fair, competitive, and consistent compensation across all child care settings, along with supports that value experience and promote long-term career growth, would reduce turnover, strengthen program continuity, and help rebuild a qualified workforce capable of meeting Ontario’s current and future system demands.