Navigating Daycares in Ontraio- A Beginner’s Guide for New Moms

A decade ago, as a new mom in Toronto, I found myself overwhelmed by the complexities of the local daycare system. From grappling with long waiting lists and deciphering costs, to understanding subsidies and locating suitable options, the challenge was real. Fast forward ten years, and, surprisingly, deciphering the daycare landscape has only grown more daunting.

This is why I’ve put together this detailed guide. Aimed specifically at supporting new moms across Toronto, I aim to demystify the system, providing all the essential information needed to make informed choices about daycare. Let’s unravel this together and simplify your journey into motherhood with clear, actionable insights.

Let’s begin with the fundamentals. We’ll guide you through all the information you need to know, step by step.

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Understanding Age Groups and Terms in Canadian Daycares

In Canada, daycares categorize children into different age groups to tailor care and activities to their developmental stages:

• Baby or Infant Room: This group is designated for infants up to 18 months old.
• Toddlers Class: Children from 18 to 30 months old are considered toddlers.
• Preschool: This category serves children from 30 months old until they are eligible to start Junior Kindergarten (JK).

Most Canadian daycares operate privately, with only a handful managed by municipal governments. Regardless of ownership, daycare services are fee-based and not covered by public funding.

Kindergarten Eligibility and Options
For children to enter Junior Kindergarten in September, they must be four years old by December 31 of the same year.
Kindergarten is integrated into the public school system and funded publicly, meaning there’s no cost to attend. Your eligibility for a specific public school depends on your residential address. However, the option for private kindergarten exists, resembling private schooling, which necessitates tuition fees.

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Child Care Options in Ontraio

There are variety of child care settings to suit the diverse needs of families:

Child Care Centres
These facilities typically accommodate children from infancy through to the preschool years.
Such centers may operate as either non-profit organizations or as for-profit businesses.

Licensed Home Daycares
In these settings, a maximum of six children can be cared for in a private home. These daycares are affiliated with agencies, and some may have subsidized spots available to help reduce costs for families.

Unlicensed Home Daycares
These daycares can care for up to five children per home. In Ontario, individuals can establish a daycare in their residence to look after five children without the need for a formal license.

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Waiting lists for Daycares

Child care center waiting lists in Toronto and Ontario tend to be notably extensive.
The length of time you might wait for a spot can vary greatly, influenced by your specific location and the density of centers in your vicinity.

Considering that the wait for some centers can extend upwards of 14 months, it’s advisable to add your name to a waiting list even during pregnancy.

To maximize your chances, research and put your name on multiple waiting lists in your area at the earliest opportunity.

FYI- It’s common for parents to sign up for several lists — certainly more than one.
However, as each child will ultimately occupy only one place at a single daycare, these lengthy lists can sometimes move faster than anticipated.
As daycare centers verify availability with families, those who no longer require a spot are removed, and the next family in line is contacted.

Why is there such a prolonged waiting list for daycares throughout Toronto and the GTA?

It boils down to the fundamental principle of supply and demand.
In Toronto and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area, the demand for daycare spots surpasses the available supply. This imbalance is partly due to a shift from historical norms in Canada, where traditionally, mothers assumed the role of a housewife, staying at home to care for the children until they began Junior Kindergarten. This was a common family structure many years ago. However, by 2025, it has become increasingly difficult for families to subsist on a single income (higher cost of living) leading to a situation where many mothers either need to or choose to return to work. This shift has spurred a significant increase in the need for daycare services.
Despite this growing demand, city planning and government provisions have not kept pace with the rate at which the need for childcare has expanded, resulting in a substantial shortfall of daycare spots across Canada.

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The cost of Daycares in Toronto

The average cost of daycare in Toronto varies depending on the age of the child and the type of daycare facility.

For infants, full-time daycare in Toronto ranging from $1,700 to $2,200 per month. Some can go up to 2,600 CAD a month. Yes, those are real numbers.

For toddlers, the average cost slightly decreases to about $1,400 monthly, with weekly and daily fees being approximately $470 and $180.

For Preschool, the average cost will be $1,200.

Why are daycares so expensive?

The costliness of daycare centers can be attributed to a combination of high demand and stringent government regulations.

In the case of infant rooms, regulations stipulate a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:3; meaning that for every trio of infants, there must be one teacher present at all times. Therefore, a room designated for 12 infants would necessitate the continuous supervision of four teachers. Further, there are strict guidelines regarding nap times, meals, and diapering, all of which contribute to the operational costs for a daycare in Canada.

Moreover, daycares are predominantly privately owned operations striving for profitability, which also influences the pricing of their services.

Funding programs for daycare in Ontraio

In Canada, there are two primary programs available to assist parents with the expenses associated with daycare.

The first program is the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system, which aims to make child care more affordable and accessible across the country.

The second program is a city-based subsidy designed to aid low-income families in covering the costs of child care.

In the following text, I will delve into the details of both of these options.

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Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system

In March 28, 2022, the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, announced an agreement that will deliver affordable, inclusive, and high-quality child care for families in Ontario.

This Canada-Ontario early learning and child care agreement is a five-year deal to reduce child care fees in the short term. $10-a-day child care for Ontario families, and create 86,000 new licensed early learning and child care spaces in the province.

As of January 1, 2025, the average cost of daycare in Toronto for children under six years old enrolled in programs participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system is capped at $22 per day. This cap applies broadly across child care options, including preschool.

The costs of daycare can significantly differ since NOT every facility has chosen to join the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. Numerous daycares have opted out, preferring to set their own rates rather than adhere to the program’s guidelines.

As a result, the daycares that do participate in the CWELCC program are experiencing very high demands, leading to longer waiting lists than what is typically seen for centers outside of the program.

Furthermore, it’s important to note that this program offers a universal benefit that does not provide additional advantages for working mothers or families with low incomes.

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Getting a Subsidy for Daycare based on your income

Cities in Ontario provide daycare subsidies for low-income families. To apply, you need to contact your local city office and apply for Daycare subsidy.

The subsidy rate is calculated based on your family income and the number of children you have. In order to qualify, both parents must be working or studying full-time.

You will also need to locate a daycare within your city that accepts the city subsidy and has an available spot for your child. It’s important to note that only a limited number of daycares in Toronto accept this subsidy.
Finding a daycare that accepts city subsidies and has an available spot when you need it will require some effort on your part. I have a few tips for Getting a Subsidy for Daycare in Toronto in this post

Like many services in Canada, daycare subsidies also come with waiting lists. It is advisable to add yourself to the subsidy waiting list as soon as you know you will need daycare, ideally during pregnancy.
The amount you will pay is determined based on your income, and can range from full subsidy to a daily rate of $55.

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How to find daycares in Toronto and Ontraio

Here are several strategies for locating daycare options in Toronto or elsewhere in Canada:

1. Use the Child Care locator available on the City of Toronto’s official website for comprehensive information.

2. Conduct a Google search for “Daycare Toronto” to view a map filled with daycare centers located in your area.

3. Explore Licensed home child care agencies
Toronto hosts 19 agencies, yet only 10 collaborate with the subsidy program. Visit the City of Toronto’s website for a detailed list of these agencies.

4. Browse Kijiji: Look up “home daycare” in your area, or access listings directly through their site. 

5. Seek recommendations from friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family who might know of good daycare options.

6. Review your community board for any announcements or advertisements from childcare providers.

7. Investigate local religious and community centers, such as churches and synagogues, which might offer daycare services.

8. Connect with other parents through Facebook mommy groups for personal recommendations and experiences.

9. Check Yonge and Educated website, it is a great source for all daycares in Toronto.

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I hope you found my guide helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to join our community on Facebook.

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