Early childhood educators continue to push for change in a crucial industry. Wednesday was early childhood educator (ECE) appreciation day. The workers play a key role in the development of children attending licenced child care centres, kindergartens, recreation and family support programs. But finding qualified people for the job has proven to be a challenge in recent years. “When we put out postings, we’re getting fewer and fewer applicants,” said Lori Prospero, CEO of Rising Oaks Early Learning in Kitchener, Ont. Wage woes “The biggest thing that I think we need to address is the workforce compensation piece,” Prospero said. “While nonprofits, like us at Rising Oaks, while we can invest in our workforce and put it in a wage grid, we can only do so much with the funding that we have.” Many ECEs work at facilities that are part of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CWELCC), an initiative meant to make child care options affordable by reducing fees for more families. As of October 2026, the cap on child care fees for enrolled programs is $22 per day, which is still a far cry from the promise to eventually lower fees to $10 per day. According to the Ontario government’s website, as of 2026, the minimum starting wage for registered ECEs who work at CWELCC facilities is $25.96, up from $23.86 in 2024. Wages at facilities that do not participate in the program are not set by the government. The latest data published by Canada’s Job Bank listed the median wage for ECEs in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie Region as $23 in 2024. The Ontario Living Wage Network set the average living wage for Dufferin, Guelph, Wellington and Waterloo at $23 in 2025. Recruitment issues The sector is also facing a shortage of workers. “ECE” is a protected title. According to Ontario’s Early Childhood Educators Act, only people who have completed the required training, typically a two-year diploma program or accelerated program that lasts for less than a year, and have registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators can use the designation. That registration involves an annual fee. The workers are also known as “RECEs”, meaning “registered early childhood educators.” However, some facilities are struggling to find the right people to fill those roles. “They are using what they deem ‘emergency workers,’ which are adults that are 18 years of age minimum, have standard first aid and a vulnerable sector check. That’s all they need to have,” saud Jenn Wallage, president of Waterloo Region DECE Local, a union group within the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO). Wallage believes wages are the driving force behind many hiring issues. “Please fund us,” she said. “Please recognize the value that we bring to either child care or to the instruction day classroom and the education we have. Respect us and pay us what we’re worth, because we’re worth a lot more than what we’re paid.” Although ECE programs are offered at many publicly-funded colleges throughout the province, some prospective workers choose to go to career colleges instead. Those students are also facing an uncertain future as the province has frozen their OSAP funding. “When we start to impact the workforce, that, then, is the one that’s holding up all the other workforces. It’s going to have a ripple effect,” Prospero said. Provincial plan In September, the province and federal governments agreed to extend the CWELCC program for another four years. Ontario’s Ministry of Education also said other work is underway to address the ongoing concerns. “To better support the recruitment and retention of Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs), our government launched a comprehensive Workforce Strategy. This includes higher wages, better working conditions, career development, as well as opportunities to upgrade qualifications and obtain RECE certification. These investments ensure that Ontario is providing necessary support for RECEs in childcare and ongoing commitment to further valuing and retaining the early years and childcare workforce,” a statement from Emma Testani, Education Minister Paul Calandra’s press secretary, said.
