Some operators losing provincial funding after opting out of $10-a-day child care program

Child care centres that decided not to participate in the national $10-a-day program will soon lose some of their provincial funding, according to a memo sent to licensed operators across Ontario.

The minister of education confirmed the cuts to “general operating, fee subsidy or wage enhancement grants” in 2025.

CTV News reached out to the Region of Waterloo to find out how many child care operators would be affected in our area.

A statement, from Family & Children’s Services, stated: “There are five operators in Waterloo Region who are not enrolled in CWELCC [Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care], three of which will no longer receive the funding for wage enhancements based on this new policy. Children’s Services has been connecting directly with impacted operators to work through this change but can’t share what operators specifically are impacted.”

The memo said families who already get fee subsidies will continue to get them until their child ages out or leaves their current child care centre. The change will primarily impact new families with a child five years of age or younger who is not enrolled in $10-a-day child care.