Introduction

This 2023 edition of the Guide to Early Learning and Child Care in Ontario is a project of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC). Since the first edition of this publication there have been many changes to the governance, financing and pedagogy of early learning and child care in Ontario. Child care in Ontario continues to evolve and change. In March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the temporary closure of child care centres across Ontario. The impact of the pandemic on the early learning and child care sector will be felt for years. In April 2021, the federal government introduced the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) plan. In March 2022, Ontario signed on to CWELCC and has since been implementing new child care policy. This has vastly changed the child care sector in Ontario and continues to do so.

While we aim to keep the Guide up to date, in this rapidly changing context some of the information contained in this Guide may become outdated, but we will still provide context and background. We recognize that this one Guide cannot do it all and encourage readers to continue their own exploration by reading reports, policy documents, and news. The OCBCC will continue to monitor policy developments, ensuring that we respond to the needs of our communities.

We hope for this publication to be a living document and request that readers write to us to let us know what you liked, what you did not like, and what you would like to see in future editions. You can contact the OCBCC at: [email protected].

This document is written and published by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC). By downloading this document, you accept and agree to the terms of use. 

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