Child care subsidy update for families
Information for families about lower fees and refunds as part of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.
The Canadian and Ontario governments signed the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to make child care more affordable for families.
Changes to how fees are calculated
Starting April 1, the way child care fees are calculated is changing. Child care fees will be calculated per child, instead of per family. Learn more about changes to child care fees.
Lower child care fees
If your child care provider is participating in this program and you have a child under 6 years old
- Your child care fees were reduced up to 25% for any fees you paid after April 1, 2022 and you should have received your refund.
- Starting January 1, 2023, your child care fee has been lowered by up to 50%.
- The up to 50% reduction is calculated using your total child care fee as determined by the child care subsidy program's provincially required income test, and the number of eligible children under 6 years old you have.
- Depending on the number of children you have and their ages, you may receive less than a 50% reduction on your child care fee.
Your child care provider will let you know when to start paying your new fee.
Getting your refund
- Many families have already received their refund or credit. If you are eligible and haven’t received your refund you should receive it by the end of January 2023.
- If you do not pay a fee for child care, you would not have received a refund.
Optional for child care providers
The early learning and child care program is optional and child care providers choose to participate. If your provider chooses not to participate, you will not be eligible to receive a refund or a lowered child care fee.
Participating licensed child care providers
Your child care subsidy
Your eligibility for subsidy will not change based on the early learning and child care plan. Currently there are no changes to the subsidy program. All current requirements for child care subsidy are still in place including the requirement for you to be working or going to school.
If you have questions
Speak to your child care provider if you have questions about your refund, or the amount of your lower child care fee and when to start paying it.
If you have already spoken to your child care provider and still have questions about your refund or lower child care fee, or if you have not received your refund, contact us by email.
