Child Care and Early Learning

The Children's Services and Early Years Department provides support to families in the City of Brantford and the County of Brant by offering a series of services including help finding quality child care, applying for child care subsidy to reduce costs, connecting families to free, quality drop-in programs and supporting children with special needs in licensed child care.

As the service system manager, the City of Brantford also supports individuals who operate Child Care Centres and Licensed Home Child Care providers, and EarlyON providers. We encourage you to explore the services outlined on this page and to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get real time updates about programming. We also invite you to 

Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Reduction in Child Care Costs

Ontario has entered into a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement that will lower fees to an average of $10.00 per day for children five years and younger in licensed child care by September 2025.

Licensed child care providers can choose to participate in the CWELCC to help reduce fees. If your licensed child care provider does not participate, your fees will not be reduced. Camps and Authorized Recreation programs are not eligible to participate in this program.

What this means for parents

Parents or guardians of children five years of age and younger do not have to apply to receive a child care fee reduction.

You may be eligible for reduced fees if:

  • your licensed child care provider chooses to enroll in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System, and
  • you pay more than $12.00 per day for child care: and
  • your child is:
    • five years of age and younger, or
    • six years old and enrolled in a licensed preschool, kindergarten or family age group or a licensed home child care premises, until June 30

The amount that you will save depends on the current fees your child care provider charges.

It will require some time for your child care program to enroll in the new system. The fee reduction will be retroactive to April 1, 2022. This means that you will be eligible to receive a refund for the higher fees you have paid after your child care program is fully enrolled.

Your child care provider will be in touch with you as to whether they enter an agreement with the CWELCC and when you can expect to receive your retroactive fee reduction payment if they have enrolled in the program.

EarlyON Child and Family Programs

EarlyON Child and Family Programs are offered in accordance with provincial direction.

EarlyON services include in person indoor and outdoor Parent and Child programs, virtual Parent and Child programs, virtual Parent Chats, telephone and email support and EarlyON Videos on the EarlyON You Tube Channel. All programs will be posted on the EarlyON Calendar and on the EarlyOn Facebook page. 

Child Care and Early Years 10 Year Plan

The Child Care and Early Years 10 Year Plan outlines goals within five key areas: Accessibility, Affordability, Inclusivity, Quality and Accountability. Targets for child care and EarlyON programs have been set to meet the diverse needs of an increasing population, focusing on access to services, access to information, inclusion of all families and quality programming led by trained professionals.