Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System (CWELCC)
Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System (CWELCC)
On March 28, 2022, Ontario signed onto the new Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement funded by the Government of Canada.
CWELCC is a five-year plan to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10 per day by 2025 for eligible families whose licensed child care providers have opted into the CWELCC system.
Key Objectives of CWELCC
Fee Reduction
In 2022, families with eligible children received a 25% fee reduction (to a minimum of $12 per day) retroactive to April 1, 2022. Beginning January 2023, families with eligible children will see fees further reduced by 37.5% bringing the average reduction to 52.75% (to a minimum of $12 per day). Child Care fees will be an average of $10/day by 2025-2026.
Increased Access to affordable and high-quality child care options
Create 86,000 new high-quality, inclusive, accessible and affordable licensed child care spaces.
Support the Child Care Workforce
Workforce compensation funding to support eligible Registered Early Childhood Eductor’s (RECE’s) as well as training and development opportunities. Increased compensation will help support the recruitment and retention of RECEs working in the child care sector as part of the provincial strategy to achieve system growth and ensure increased access to high-quality licensed child care.
Where can I find more information about the CWELCC system?
What does this mean for parents and caregivers?
- Parents or guardians of children five years of age and younger do not have to apply to receive a child care fee reduction.
- The amount that you will save depends on the current fees your child care provider charges.
- Child care providers who have enrolled in CWELCC are required to state their enrollment within their parent handbook. PELASS encourages parents to reach out to their providers to discuss their participation in CWELCC
You may be eligible for reduced fees if:
- you pay more than $12 per day for child care and your child is:
- five years of age and younger
- six years old and enrolled in a licensed preschool, kindergarten or family age group or a licensed home child care premises, until June 30
- six years old and enrolled in a licensed school age group until the end of their birth month
- your licensed child care provider chooses to enrol in the CWELCC System
The following licensed child care agencies have enrolled in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System (CWELCC)
- Kids Clubhouse
- Kids Mondo
- Lamplighter Preschool
- Lennox and Addington Resources for Children – all licensed childcare programs
- Palace Child Care
- The HUB Child and Family Centre – all licensed childcare programs
- YMCA of Central East Ontario – Massassaga-Rednersville Kids Club Program
- If your licensed child care operator has not enrolled in CWELCC, this means that the licensed child care program is not required to reduce your parent fees to the provincial average of $10.00 a day.
- In the event that your licensed child care operator has not applied for enrollment in the CWELCC System, per O.Reg. 137/15 s. 77.2 (3), parents/guardians are permitted to withdraw their child from the child care centre or home child care agency without penalty, should they choose to do so, as long as the following two (2) conditions are met:
- The Parent/Guardian must give the child care operator 30 days’ notice of the withdrawal; and
- The Parent/Guardian must give notice within 30 days after being notified in writing that your licensed child care operator will not be applying for enrollment in the CWELCC System.
- Ensuring that all families have access to affordable licensed child care is a priority for Prince Edward-Lennox and Addington Social Services (PELASS). Families accessing licensed child care at an agency that opts out of the CWELCC System are encouraged to contact PELASS for assistance in finding alternate child care at an agency that has opted-in to the CWELCC System. For more information or help, please contact our office at 613-354-0957 or email us.
Families who live in Prince Edward or Lennox and Addington Counties who need help with the cost of licensed child care for their children up to 12 years old, can apply for Child Care Fee Subsidy. For more information about eligibility and to apply, please visit our Child Care Fee Subsidy Page.
Looking for Child Care options?
See Child Care Providers in your region with our Map Directory.