Excerpts
Ontario’s early learning and child care system is facing a structural workforce crisis, one that is increasingly being managed through the expanding use of Director Approvals (DAs). These approvals, which allow individuals who are not Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) to step into roles that typically require formal qualifications, were originally intended to be short-term exceptions. Today, they have become a routine staffing tool across the province.
Recent data obtained by B2C2 through a Freedom of Information request shows a clear and alarming shift: DAs are no longer being used to fill occasional gaps. 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. This growing reliance points to a sector unable to recruit and retain enough RECEs to meet even existing demand, let alone the expansion targets set under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement.
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The findings are clear: the child care system is being sustained through emergency measures instead of long-term solutions.
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By investing in fair compensation, retention supports, professional accountability, and transparent workforce data, Ontario can move beyond crisis management and toward a sustainable, experienced child care system: one that values its educators and ensures every child receives the quality of care they deserve.
Ontario’s early learning and child care system stands at a critical juncture. The growing reliance on Director Approvals is a symptom of deeper structural issues—chief among them the province’s inability to attract and retain the qualified workforce that high-quality child care requires.
By investing in fair compensation, professional accountability, and meaningful training pathways, Ontario can move beyond crisis staffing and build a sustainable child care system that delivers the quality families expect and children deserve.