The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system is a five-year plan that supports quality, accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity within the child care sector.
These improvements better respond to child care operators’ true costs of providing high-quality and accessible child care and provide additional funding opportunities, including for operating costs and wage enhancement grants for staff. The City of Toronto is committed to working with all levels of government to create new high-quality, affordable and accessible child care spaces through its Directed Growth Plan, in alignment with the goals of its 10-year Growth Strategy.
Eligibility for fee reduction applies to children 0-6 years of age who are enrolled in licensed CWELCC participating child care centres or home child care agencies. The Province of Ontario has determined the eligibility requirements.
Children turning 6 between January 1st to June 30th:
Children turning 6 after June 30th:
School age child care age grouping:
**For families that receive a child care fee subsidy, please click on the CWELCC and Child Care Fee Subsidy Tab to learn more about fee reductions.
2024 CWELCC fee reduction requirements (as of January 1, 2024):
Type of Fees:
All Fees must be included in the agency’s Parent Handbook and fees must be posted at the centre.
Base Fees:
Base Fee Reduction example (as of Jan. 1, 2024):
An infant frozen rate as of March 27, 2022, is $1700 per month. Therefore, as of January 1st, 2024, with a 52.75% CWELCC fee reduction, the new reduced CWELCC rate is $803.25 per month.
Non-Base Fees:
Posted Fee Memos:
For concerns related to CWELCC fees, please reach out to the Toronto Children’s Services District Consultant assigned to the child care program. Their contact information can be found on the bottom of each child care listed in the A – Z Child Care listing.
Child care fee subsidy continues to be available for eligible families to assist with the cost of child care. For more information and how to apply for a fee subsidy, visit Child Care Fee Subsidy.
For families in receipt of a fee subsidy, assessed subsidy fees may be reduced up to 50% depending on the number of eligible children in the household and if the child care program is participating in CWELCC.
Families can find agencies that are participating in CWELCC and that accept fee subsidy by using the Find a Child Care Near You, A-Z Child Care listing, and/or Licensed Home Child Care Page.