New Release: Second Edition of Roadmap to Universal Child Care in Ontario

Earlier this week, the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) together with Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario (AECEO), and in collaboration with the early learning and  child care (ELCC) community, released its second edition of the Roadmap to Universal Child Care in Ontario.

Shared vision, new strategy areas and policy recommendations 

Building upon the first edition, originally published in July 2021, the second edition of the  Roadmap elaborates on a shared vision prioritizing the rights of children, families and educators and building a caring and inclusive ELCC system. The document highlights five action-oriented strategy areas that address: 

  • System building 
  • Funding 
  • Affordability
  • Workforce 
  • Expansion

Based on an evaluation of the progress made since the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan more than three years ago, the Roadmap recommends twenty-one updated policy interventions to move forward on building universal child care in Ontario. Key policy recommendations include: 

  • Enshrine the right of all children to access regulated, inclusive, culturally safe ELCC.
  • Include ELCC facilities in schools and/or school property and eliminate rent for child care programs
  • Cap ELCC fees at a maximum of $10/day per family and improve the current parent fee subsidy systems. 
  • Implement a provincial wage grid for the child care workforce, and provide health benefits and defined benefit pension plans. 
  • Place a moratorium on licensing new for-profit child care, focus expansion on not-for-profit and publicly delivered child care, and prioritize expansion in underserved communities. 

More needs to be done

Recognizing that progress has been made since 2021, Carolyn Ferns, of the OCBCC, says, “The $10aDay plan has been a game changer for Ontario families and an essential support for our economy. We urgently need Ontario to sign on to continue this program and then to follow the Roadmap to build an ELCC system for all.” 

Child Care Now commends the OCBCC and AECEO’s leadership and advocacy efforts to advance a renewed shared vision, identify new strategy areas, and recommend clear policy interventions. Child Care Now echoes the call for the provincial government to sign a new agreement before the current agreement expires in March 2026.

More work needs to be done to build a comprehensive, rights-based, and publicly funded system. In order to do this work, the need for improved collaboration between all levels of government, community and ELCC sector partners could not be more pressing. 

Supporters can click here to urge the provincial government to follow the Roadmap and to sign a new bilateral agreement with the federal government extending it to 2031.