Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care

Overview

In March 2022, Ontario entered into the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC). This agreement supports a high-quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive licensed child care system. CWELCC will reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day by 2026 and improve access and quality across Ontario’s child care and early years sector.

Information for Families

OneList Brantford/Brant is where families can apply online for all licensed child care in City of Brantford and the County of Brant, including programs participating in CWELCC. You can find a CWELCC-participating program by using the filter in OneList. When a new CWELCC program becomes available, they will be added to OneList.

If you have a child under the age of six who is currently enrolled in a CWELCC program, as of January 1, 2025, your fees will be capped at $22.00/day. For child care programs with daily fees currently less than $22.00/day, fees will stay frozen at the rate as of December 31, 2024. No application is needed for this reduction.

Not all licensed child care programs are participating in CWELCC. If a licensed child care program is not part of the CWELCC program, families will continue to pay the full cost of child care services as determined by the child care program. Camps and recreation programs serving children 6 to 12 years of age are ineligible to participate in CWELCC.

Directed Growth

Through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement, Ontario is receiving funding to create 86,000 new licensed child care spaces by December 2026, using 2019 levels as a baseline. Locally, more than 1,000 new CWELCC-funded child care spaces will be added in Brantford and Brant County between 2022 and 2026.

Where are new child care spaces being created?

The City of Brantford is working to expand access to affordable child care by focusing child care growth in four priority areas. These areas were selected using census data and other social and economic indicators, targeting neighbourhoods with the lowest child care access rates. This effort supports the provincial goal of achieving a 37% access rate to licensed child care spaces for children aged 0-5.

For more information about the City’s child care growth plan and progress so far, check out the Building Our Community from the Kids Up 10-Year Child Care and Early Years Plan and annual status updates below.

View the Building Our Community from the Kids Up 2025 Status Report.

View the Building Our Community from the Kids Up 2024 Status Report.

View the Building Our Community from the Kids Up 2023 Status Report.

How can child care providers apply for CWELCC spaces?

New $10/day CWELCC child care spaces are approved through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Opportunities are posted on the City of Brantford’s Bids and Tenders. Interested providers should create an account to receive updates and submit applications.

The CWELCC program includes rules about how many non-profit and for-profit child care spaces can be created. The City of Brantford, as the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager (CMSM), must follow these guidelines while planning for growth in areas where licensed child care is most needed. Inquiries related to child care growth can be directed to the Children’s Services and Early Years program department at childcareadmin@brantford.ca.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is National Child Care / $10 per day child care / Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care?

The Federal Government of Canada and the Provincial Government of Ontario signed an agreement in March 2022 to make child care more affordable for Ontario residents. The agreement is called the “Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement” (CWELCC).
How do I know if I am eligible?

In order to be eligible for a fee reduction, the following criteria must be met:

  • Child attends a CWELCC-participating child care site
  • You pay more than $12 per day for child care (unless your child is in a fee subsidy placement and you pay a parental contribution amount. In this case your parental contribution will be reduced by a total of 50%); and
  • Child is under the age of 6
    • Children who turn 6 between January 1 and June 30th, and who are enrolled in a kindergarten, family age group or a licensed home child care premises, are eligible until June 30th of the year they turned 6.
    • Children who turn 6 between July 1 and December 31 are eligible until the last day of the month in which they turn 6.
How do I know if my provider has enrolled in CWELCC?

Families can search for participating child cares on the OneList Child Care wait list system
Will this new system impact the other rebates or subsidies I am currently eligible for?

The child care tax credit will continue for eligible families. The Ontario child care fee subsidy program will continue to be available for families who are eligible.
Why isn't my child care provider part of CWELCC?
  • The decision to opt-in or out of the CWELCC system is at the discretion of individual child care providers.
  • Contact your child care provider to learn more about their decision to opt out.
Why can’t I get the fee reduction if I attend private (unlicensed) child care?
  • Only licensed child care programs are eligible to receive CWELCC funding, as per the agreement between the Federal Government of Canada and the Provincial Government of Ontario.
  • Families can use OneList to see which local child care sites are enrolled and which sites are not enrolled in CWELCC.
Where can I find more information?

Visit the Ontario Government website.