The Canadian government and Ontario have reached an agreement to extend their affordable child-care program for an additional year, ensuring families across the province will continue to benefit from an average daily fee of just $19.
One-Year Extension Secures Affordable Care
The announcement, made on November 11, 2025, confirms that the existing Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement will remain in effect throughout 2026. This extension provides crucial stability for parents who have come to rely on the affordable child-care program that has significantly reduced financial pressures for thousands of Ontario families.
Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra has been actively involved in the child-care file, recently visiting the Blessed Chiara Badano Child Care Centre in Stouffville, Ontario, in May 2025. His engagement with child-care facilities underscores the provincial government's commitment to maintaining accessible early learning opportunities.
Maintaining Financial Relief for Families
The $19 per day average represents a substantial reduction from previous child-care costs that often exceeded $50 per day in many Ontario communities. This fee structure has made child-care accessible to middle-class families who previously struggled with the financial burden of early childhood education expenses.
The extension comes at a critical time as many families face ongoing economic pressures from inflation and rising living costs. Maintaining affordable child-care options enables more parents, particularly mothers, to remain in or return to the workforce, contributing to Ontario's economic stability.
Broader Impact on Child-Care System
This agreement between the federal and provincial governments represents a continued commitment to the national child-care strategy launched several years ago. The program has already created thousands of new child-care spaces across Ontario while ensuring existing facilities can maintain quality standards with stable funding.
Child-care advocates have praised the extension as a necessary step toward building a comprehensive early learning system. However, some experts note that additional work remains to address waitlists and ensure equitable access across all regions of the province, particularly in rural and remote communities.
The one-year extension provides breathing room for both governments to negotiate a longer-term agreement while guaranteeing that families won't face sudden fee increases in the coming year.
