Canada's ambitious $10-a-day daycare plan is facing a serious crisis in Ontario, where average fees remain stuck at $19 per day, nearly double the federal target. Parents across the province are being left scrambling, with some reporting they are on as many as 24 separate waitlists just to find a childcare spot for their children.
Five years after the federal government announced the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System, the gap between promise and reality is growing wider. According to provincial data, only 41,000 new spaces have been created in Ontario since 2019. The province's goal is 86,000 new spaces by the end of December this year, meaning 45,000 more must be created in just seven months.
Ontario's Auditor General has reported that the province will need up to 10,000 more early childhood educators by the end of 2026 to meet its targets. Daycare operators across the province say they cannot staff the programs they already have, let alone open new sites, rooms or spaces to serve more families because of the workforce shortage.
For families who have managed to secure a spot, the program has been described as life-changing. More affordable fees mean better food security, the ability to afford housing and the freedom to take job opportunities that were previously impossible. However, for those still waiting, the situation is deeply frustrating.
One parent described her experience as quite discouraging, noting that she was 197th on an infant waitlist. Another parent considered paying $2,000 a month for private care just to be able to return to work, despite it being nearly impossible for her budget. Many parents have been forced to extend parental leave or leave their jobs entirely.
The federal and provincial governments have both said they are committed to keeping childcare affordable beyond 2026, with a one-year extension to their agreement until March 2027. However, the province warns that long-term success requires a significant increase in federal funding, without which the program's stability is at risk.
Rising costs and low wages continue to push early childhood educators out of the sector, creating a vicious cycle where the lack of staff prevents the creation of new spaces, which in turn keeps waitlists long and fees high. Until the workforce crisis is addressed, parents' advice to each other remains simple: get on as many waitlists as you possibly can, as soon as you feel comfortable.