Child care in Canada: the $10-a-day program and where each province stands
How close each province is to the $10-a-day target, what parents actually pay, how to get your child on a waitlist, and the difference between licensed centres and home child care.
According to the Government of Canada, average fees for regulated child care have reached $10 a day or less in 8 of the 13 provinces and territories: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have cut fees by 50% or more, but have not reached $10 a day on average. In Ontario, for example, fees are capped at $22 a day and the average is $19. Most importantly, the reduced fee only applies in regulated programs that take part in the system, and not every one of them will have a space for your child right away.
What is the $10-a-day child care program?
It is the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system (CWELCC). The federal government funds it through agreements with each province and territory, with the goal of bringing regulated child care fees for children under 6 down to an average of $10 a day.
Three points many parents miss:
- "On average" does not mean "for everyone." You may pay more or less depending on the centre, your child's age and the number of hours.
- The reduction only applies to regulated child care, meaning licensed centres and home child care affiliated with a licensed agency, provided they are enrolled in the system. A private babysitter or unlicensed home child care is not covered.
- The province runs the program. That is why the way you register and pay differs from one province to another.
Where $10-a-day child care stands in each province and territory
The status in the second column is taken from the Government of Canada page updated on 15 September 2026. The amounts are taken from each province's own page.
| Province / territory | Status according to the Government of Canada | What parents pay (per the province's official source) |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $10 or less on average | $9.65 a day in subsidized child care in 2026, indexed on 1 January each year |
| Manitoba | $10 or less on average | $10 a day for infants and preschoolers for regular care (4 to 10 hours) in funded facilities. Since 8 December 2024 this has also covered school-age care on non-school days |
| Saskatchewan | $10 or less on average | $217.50 a month for children attending 10 or more days a month, for children under 6 and for those who turn 6 while in kindergarten |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $10 or less on average | Check the province's official child care website |
| Prince Edward Island | $10 or less on average | Check the Early Years PEI website |
| Yukon | $10 or less on average | Check the Universal child care page on yukon.ca |
| Northwest Territories | $10 or less on average | Check with the territory's Department of Education |
| Nunavut | $10 or less on average | Check with the Government of Nunavut |
| Ontario | Reduced by 50% or more | Capped at $22 a day for children from birth to age 5 in enrolled programs, with an average of $19 a day |
| Alberta | Reduced by 50% or more | A flat fee of $326.25 a month for full-time care (100 hours a month or more) and $230 for part-time care (50 to 99 hours), since 1 April 2025 |
| British Columbia | Reduced by 50% or more | $10 a Day ChildCareBC centres, if you can get a space, and a reduction through the CCFRI program at other centres of up to $900 a month per child |
| Nova Scotia | Reduced by 50% or more | Check childcarenovascotia.ca |
| New Brunswick | Reduced by 50% or more | Check the provincial government website |
Where we write "Check", it means we did not find a clearly published daily amount on the official page when we verified it, so we did not supply a figure of our own.
Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia: why they have not reached $10
Ontario: since 1 January 2025, fees for children under 6 have been capped at $22 a day in programs enrolled in CWELCC. The government says it is working to bring the average down to $10, but its current page gives no date for this. Children who turn 6 before 30 June continue to benefit if they are enrolled in a kindergarten or preschool program.
Alberta: on 1 April 2025, Alberta switched to a flat fee equivalent to about $15 a day across the province. A child does not benefit if their program does not receive affordability funding, or if they are enrolled for fewer than 50 hours a month. Preschool programs have a reduction of up to $100 a month instead of the flat fee. You pay the centre directly, not the government.
British Columbia: the program is not universal. $10 a Day centres are specific centres that applied to join, admission depends on each centre's capacity and waitlist, and parents do not apply to the program itself. At other participating centres, the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative lowers fees automatically. Lower-income families can also get the Affordable Child Care Benefit.
How to get your child on a child care waitlist
The general rule is the same everywhere: register early, in more than one place, and keep proof of the date you registered. But the process differs by province:
| Province | How to register | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | The Registration Portal for childcare services (Portail d’inscription), which replaced La Place 0-5 | A child can only be registered after birth. The portal shows the child's approximate place in line, and priority depends on the start date you want, not the date you registered |
| Ontario | Search for programs through the government portal and contact each one. Fee subsidies are requested from your municipality's local service manager | Check an unlicensed provider's safety record using the official list |
| Manitoba | Search Manitoba Child Care Search and contact the facilities | You do not need to apply for the $10 fee. The facility just has to be licensed and funded |
| Saskatchewan | The official map of regulated child care providers | The reduced monthly fee applies in regulated facilities |
| Alberta | Contact licensed centres and family day homes directly | Ask: does the program receive affordability funding? |
| British Columbia | The $10 a Day centres page and your local Child Care Resource and Referral centre (CCRR) | Admission depends on each centre's waitlist |
A practical tip: send each centre a short message giving your child's age, the date you need the space, and how many days a week. Ask about your place on the list every two or three months. If you are new to the city, settlement organizations can introduce you to centres nearby.
Licensed centre or home child care? A practical comparison
We use Ontario as the example because its rules are clearly published. Other provinces have rules that are similar in principle but different in the numbers:
| Criterion | Licensed child care centre | Home child care affiliated with a licensed agency | Unlicensed home child care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum number of children | Set by the licence | 6 children under 13 | 5 children under 13 |
| Children under 2 | Set by the licence | 3 at most | 3 at most |
| Provider's own children | — | Their children under 4 count toward the limit | Their children under 4 count toward the limit |
| Reduced fees (CWELCC) | Yes, if enrolled in the system | Yes, if the agency is enrolled | No |
| Municipal fee subsidy | Yes | Yes | No |
Home child care suits parents who need flexible hours or a smaller group for a baby. A licensed centre suits those who want a structured learning program and regular inspections. Either way, if you choose unlicensed home child care, ask for official receipts showing the provider's name: you will need them for your tax return.
Subsidies and deductions that lower the cost of child care
- Provincial fee subsidies: in Ontario, you apply to your municipality's local service manager, and the program must be licensed. In British Columbia, there is the Affordable Child Care Benefit; in Alberta, the Child Care Subsidy.
- Child care expenses deduction (line 21400): you can deduct up to $8,000 a year for each child under 7 and up to $5,000 for each child aged 7 to 16. It is usually claimed by the spouse with the lower net income, and you must keep your receipts. Details are in the tax return guide.
- In Quebec: families using non-subsidized child care get a provincial tax credit calculated on family income.
- Canada child benefit: a monthly payment unrelated to child care, but the largest source of support for families. Read the CCB guide.
To see how much of your monthly income child care will take, enter the amount in the budget calculator, and compare fees across the provinces if you are thinking of moving.
What the $10-a-day program does not guarantee
- It does not guarantee a space. Demand outstrips supply in many cities, and the waitlists are real.
- It does not cover every age everywhere. The main target is children under 6, and school-age care varies from one province to another.
- It does not cover unregulated child care or private babysitters.
- It does not mean you will pay exactly $10 in your province. Check the actual amount with the centre before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Is $10-a-day child care available in Toronto?
Not yet on average. In Ontario, fees are capped at $22 a day in enrolled programs, the average is $19, and the stated target is $10.
Where do parents pay the lowest child care fees?
In Quebec, $9.65 a day in subsidized child care in 2026, and in Manitoba, $10 a day in funded facilities.
Can I register my child in Quebec before birth?
No. The current portal only accepts children who have been born or, in the case of adoption, who have joined their family.
Do I need to apply to get the reduced fee?
In Manitoba and at $10 a Day centres in British Columbia, no: the reduction is applied by the centre itself. Income-tested subsidies, however, require a separate application.
Do reduced child care fees count for the tax deduction?
You deduct what you actually paid, within the limits of line 21400, so keep all your receipts.