Ontario and the federal government have decided to prolong the national affordable child-care initiative in the province for an additional four years, but there are no guarantees of further reducing the costs for parents.
The $12 billion agreement ensures funding at least until 2031, providing some assurance for both operators and families.
However, it may not achieve its main aim – reducing parent fees to an average of $10 a day.
While nearly half of other provinces are offering average fees around that figure, Ontario’s current fees stand at about $19 a day, with a cap at $22.
In this new four-year deal with the federal government, Ontario has pledged to keep fees at that level until June 30th, 2027.
What comes next remains uncertain.
Federal Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu states that families are still saving roughly $9,000 per child, even with average fees set at $19 a day.
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra mentions that this brings good stability for parents and operators. He also notes if the federal government wants lower fees, it will need to provide more funding.
This report was first by on Sept. 29, 2026.
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