Canada-wide progress on ELCC
Legend
Yes In place
Partial / In progress Under way or partial- No Not in place
| Benchmark | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Has sufficient federal funding been allocated to accomplish CWELCC’s stated goals? | | The federal government committed approximately $30 billion over 5 years to support the first phase of CWELCC’s implementation (April 2021 - March 2026). In early 2025, all provinces and territories except Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta extended their agreements with the federal government, ensuring continued funding. Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta subsequently reached agreements later in the year. The November 2025 federal budget continued the pre-2026 funding levels plus a 3% escalator to offset inflation but did not contain additional operational or capital funding to continue to grow and strengthen the program. In June 2026, the federal government added an additional $5.4 billion over the next two years to support CWELCC. |
| Is federal child care legislation in place? | | Bill C-35, An Act Respecting Early Learning and Child Care was unanimously approved by the House of Commons in the spring of 2023. It received Royal Assent on March 19, 2024, making it Canada’s first federal child care legislation to become law. Link |
| Is a Canada-wide ELCC workforce strategy in place? | A federal/provincial/territorial ministers’ meeting was convened in July 2023 to “advance shared priorities in early learning and child care,” including development of a workforce strategy. Shared work on a strategy continued, but despite some varying progress on workforce issues made by provinces/territories, a Canada-wide ELCC workforce strategy is not in place. Link | |
| Is ELCC expansion primarily public/non-profit Canada-wide? | The first phase (2021 - 2025) provincial/territorial agreements and action plans indicated that all provinces agreed to this federal commitment – some exclusively and some “primarily.” However, the data as of 2025 show that although the percentage of child care operated for-profit Canada-wide increased only marginally overall, in 7 jurisdictions at least 40% of net growth in full-day centre spaces was in the for-profit sector. Link | |
| Is ELCC capital funding in place? | | Beginning in 2022, the federal government provided $625 million to provinces and territories over four years through the Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, which is due to expire March 31, 2027. In 2024, the government announced a Child Care Expansion Loan Program with $1 billion in low-cost loans and $60 million in non-repayable grants, but this was not implemented. Provinces/territories may choose to use the general CWELCC funds for capital as well as allocating their own funds. Link |
| Is a Canada-wide data and research strategy in place? | | A data and research strategy has not been put in place. Several new Statistics Canada surveys are providing useful Canada-wide data. In the absence of a data and research strategy, community and academic researchers are studying many ELCC-related topics on their own initiative. Link |
| Are resources and plans to support Indigenous peoples to develop their own distinctions-based ELCC systems in place? | | The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) framework, which includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit frameworks, was established in 2018. These frameworks – together with the federal Indigenous ELCC Secretariat, federal financing from several sources, and provincial/territorial commitments – support ongoing development of Indigenous ELCC Canada-wide. An assessment of what has been accomplished, and what still needs to be, is not available. Link |
Last updated: September 1, 2026
Summary of progress by province/territory
| Benchmark | Newfoundland and LabradorNL | Prince Edward IslandPE | Nova ScotiaNS | New BrunswickNB | QuebecQC | OntarioON | ManitobaMB | SaskatchewanSK | AlbertaAB | British ColumbiaBC | YukonYT | Northwest TerritoriesNT | NunavutNU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Has a new, extended, or amended agreement covering the 2026 – 2031 period been publicly released? | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Has the jurisdiction moved to a system of set parent fees for services participating in CWELCC? | | | | | | | | | | | |||
| Have the jurisdiction’s parent fees been reduced to an average of $10/day? | | | | | | | | | |||||
| Has the jurisdiction put in place capital funding aimed at the expansion of public and non-profit child care? | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Has the jurisdiction shifted to a cost-based operational funding model for services? | | | | ||||||||||
| Has a wage grid been put in place? | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| Has the jurisdiction adopted measures to improve staff benefits and/or working conditions? | | | | | | | | | | ||||
| Has the jurisdiction disallowed services charging additional fees beyond published parent fees? | | | | | | | | | | |
Last updated: September 2, 2026
Progress by province and territory: Details and notes
By March 2025, all provinces and territories except Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario signed new five year agreements with the federal government, set to begin April 1 2026. By late December 2025, Saskatchewan had signed a new agreement for 2026 - 2031 as well, and Ontario and Alberta extended their agreements by one year, from April 1 2026 to March 31 2027. Only Saskatchewan has released their new agreement publicly. This is an edit with a linking to me .
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Add name of agreement for readability and acceessiblity. |
| Prince Edward Island | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Testing adding text and a new link. |
| Nova Scotia | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. |
| New Brunswick | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. |
| Quebec | | Agreement, which covers 2026 - 2031, continues the asymmetrical approach of previous Quebec agreements. Link |
| Ontario | | Agreement covers April 1 2026 - March 31 2027 (one year). Link |
| Manitoba | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Link |
| Saskatchewan | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Link |
| Alberta | | Agreement covers April 1 2026 - March 31 2027 (one year). Link |
| British Columbia | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Link |
| Yukon | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Link |
| Northwest Territories | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. Link |
| Nunavut | | Agreement covers 2026 - 2031. |
Last updated: September 2, 2026
Moving to provincially/territorially set parent fees rather than allowing the market to set them is fundamental to transforming ELCC to a universal system. Set/capped fees for children aged 0 – 5 years are now used for most child care in seven jurisdictions.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | Newfoundland and Labrador sets fees in licensed child care programs participating in the Operating Grant program. |
| Prince Edward Island | | Set fees have been used at Early Years Centres since 2010, when they varied by age group. Now, a single fee across age groups applies to all centres and licensed family child care. |
| Nova Scotia | The provincial government does not set parent fees in Nova Scotia; operators set their own fees, with some government constraints. | |
| New Brunswick | | Set fees vary by region, as well as by child’s age. |
| Quebec | | Quebec has set fees since 1997. They apply to all operationally funded child care: non-profit centres de la petite enfance (CPEs), some for-profit centres (“day care”, or garderies), and recognized (licensed) family child care. The large non-operationally funded for-profit sector charges market-based fees. |
| Ontario | | Beginning January 1, 2025, Ontario moved to set fees for all children under age six, including for those in BASC programs. |
| Manitoba | | Manitoba has used set fees since at least the mid-1980s when they were first regulated, although at that time, parent fees accounted for a relatively larger portion of a centre’s budget. Manitoba has since moved to one fee across age groups, and extended set fees to family child care providers in 2025. |
| Saskatchewan | | |
| Alberta | | Alberta introduced set fees for 0 - 5 year olds on April 1, 2025. |
| British Columbia | | British Columbia uses set fees at $10 a Day ChildCareBC services, which are a minority of licensed spaces for 0 - 5 year olds. The majority of licensed spaces use market-based fees, with operators setting their own fees, with some government constraints. Link |
| Yukon | The provincial government does not set parent fees in the Yukon; operators set their own fees, with some government constraints. | |
| Northwest Territories | The provincial government does not set parent fees In the Northwest Territories; operators set their own fees, with some government constraints. | |
| Nunavut | |
Last updated: July 29, 2026
Canada-wide, fee reduction was implemented in two stages. All jurisdictions except Quebec agreed to reduce parent fees by an average of 50% by December 2022. All met or came close to meeting this goal. By April 2026, fees in six provinces/territories were at the second target – fees of $10/day for 0 - 5 year olds.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Nothing is here. I don't know why. | |
| Prince Edward Island | | |
| Nova Scotia | As of December 2025, average full-day child care fees for 0 – 5 year olds ranged from $16.75 – $19 per day. | |
| New Brunswick | | New Brunswick’s provincially-set full-day child care fees vary by age of child and size of community, ranging from $16 – $21 per day. |
| Quebec | | The provincially set fee, which was initially $5/day in 1997, is now annually indexed to inflation. In 2026 the daily fee is $9.65. |
| Ontario | In January 2026, the daily average child care fee was $19. The maximum set fee is $22/a day. Link | |
| Manitoba | | |
| Saskatchewan | | |
| Alberta | | Alberta’s set fee is roughly $15 per day. Link |
| British Columbia | | A minority of licensed child care services are funded to charge set $10/day fees. Average fees at other CWELCC-participating child care programs, which receive less public funding, vary significantly across municipalities. |
| Yukon | The Yukon had significantly reduced its average fees before CWELCC was announced. Parent fees are an average of $4 to $12.30/ day for full-day child care, depending on the age of the child, the type of Care, and the region. | |
| Northwest Territories | Parent fees for the Northwest Territories are not available. Fees are reported to range between $2.40 - $61.84/day. Market fees are reduced by a set amount paid by the territorial government. | |
| Nunavut | |
Last updated: August 28, 2026
Capital funding is a key strategic element for ensuring public/non-profit child care growth. Almost all jurisdictions have some kind of capital funding plan for centres and regulated family child care, some of which are available for both non-profit and for-profit growth. The capital funding plans are highly variable among the provinces and territories in terms of how they operate and how much, or what proportion of costs, they cover.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | Newfoundland and Labrador’s Capacity Grant funding is available to eligible not-for-profits, including community-based organizations, municipalities, cooperatives, and employer-sponsored and family child care provision. |
| Prince Edward Island | | Prince Edward Island provides EYC Expansion Capital Grant, a Low-Interest Loan Pilot Program, and Family Home Centre Capital Grants, all for both non-profit and for-profit expansion. |
| Nova Scotia | | Nova Scotia’s capital funding grants, currently only available to non-profit programs, include Child Care Space Expansion, Minor Infrastructure Funding, Major Infrastructure Funding, and the Family Home Start Up Program. |
| New Brunswick | | New Brunswick has three capital funding grants: Designation Start-Up Funding – New Licence ELCC Coordination Grant, New Space Creation Implementation Grant, and Expansion for Infants Spaces Grant – Renovations. They are provided to for-profit and non-profit operators, with non-profits prioritized. |
| Quebec | | Quebec’s Infrastructure Funding Program and Infrastructure Investment Grants are available only to non-profit Centres de la petit enfance. A start-up grant is available to recognized (licensed) family child care providers. Link |
| Ontario | | Ontario’s capital funding includes Start-Up Grants for for-profit and non-profit centres and home child care agencies, and the Canada-Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund (implemented in 2025) for non-profit child care centres.The 47 municipal-level Social Service Managers have some flexibility in determining eligibility. Link |
| Manitoba | | Manitoba’s capital grants - Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Building Fund, Child Care Renovation Expansion Grant, Municipalities and Indigenous Governing Bodies Child Care Initiative, School-Based Child Care Centre Expansion Project and home child care start-up grant - are all available to non-profit services only. Link |
| Saskatchewan | | Saskatchewan’s Space Development Capital Funding, Centre Start-Up Grant and Family Child Care Home Start-Up Grants are all available only to non-profit services. Until 2026, Saskatchewan provided no funding at all to for-profit child care, but its new agreement changes this to allow some public dollars for for-profit centres.It is not clear whether this applies to capital funding. Link |
| Alberta | | Alberta’s Space Creation Grant was open to both non-profit and for-profit centres. The grant ended in November 2024, but applications submitted before then continue to be processed as funding allows. It was replaced by the Building Blocks Capital Grant Program, which is available to non-profit and public services only. Link |
| British Columbia | | British Columbia’s Major and Minor Capital Funding Grants had been available to non-profit and public organizations only, through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. This fund was paused as of February 2026. Start-Up Grants are available for new family home child care providers. Link |
| Yukon | | The Yukon provides start-up funding and enhancement funding for health and safety requirements to non-profit and for-profit centres and Family Day Homes. The Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund is open only to non-profits, Family Day Homes, First Nations governments, and registered Yukon societies. Link |
| Northwest Territories | | The Northwest Territories has an Early Childhood Infrastructure Fund, and New Child Care Spaces Funds for Centre-based Programs (available only to not-for-profits; there is no for-profit child care in the Northwest Territories), and Family Day Homes. Link |
| Nunavut | | Nunavut’s Infrastructure Funding Program prioritizes communities with little or no licensed child care, and is available only to non-profits. There is no for-profit child care in Nunavut. Link |
Last updated: September 1, 2026
A “cost-based operational funding model” means that public funding covers a service’s true costs represented in the operating budget for high quality child care (including all staff compensation, facility, meals, and program costs) rather than operators relying on a patchwork of parent fee replacement, grants, payments, parent fee subsidies, and fundraising pieced together by each service provider. A well-designed, full cost-based funding formula requires good data as input to determine the “true costs” of delivering quality child care.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Newfoundland and Labrador’s Operating Grant Program (OGP) covers most of the costs of eligible child care services, but it is not a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Prince Edward Island | | See this Prince Edward Island case study report for a description of the cost-based operational funding model for Early Years Centres. Link |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia covers most of the operating costs of eligible child care services, but does not use a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick covers most of the operating costs of eligible child care services, but does not use a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Quebec | | Quebec has used a cost-based funding formula to provide operational funding to CPEs and to grandparented for-profit garderies for many years. Link |
| Ontario | | Ontario’s new cost-based funding formula was implemented in January 2025, but providers may still also rely on other funding and parent fees to fully cover costs. Link |
| Manitoba | Manitoba uses a “unit funding model” to calculate annual operating grants. It is not a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan covers most of the operating costs of eligible child care services, but does not use a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Alberta | Alberta covers “reasonable costs” of operating eligible child care services, but does not use a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| British Columbia | British Columbia does not currently use a cost-based funding formula for the majority of its child care provision. Link | |
| Yukon | The Early Learning and Child Care Funding Program provides operating funding to offset costs, but it is not a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Northwest Territories | The Northwest Territories does not currently use a cost-based funding formula. Link | |
| Nunavut | Nunavut does not currently use a cost-based funding formula. Link |
Last updated: July 29, 2026
A well-designed wage grid based on decent wages is a fundamental component of an effective workforce strategy for improving the recruitment and retention of qualified educators and building a professional early childhood education workforce. A wage grid is defined here as a stepped scale outlining progressive salary levels based on factors including position, credentials, and experience/length of employment.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | Wage grid (centres) Link |
| Prince Edward Island | | Prince Edward Island has required Early Years Centres to use a provincial wage grid since 2010. (centres) Link |
| Nova Scotia | | Wage grid (centres) Link |
| New Brunswick | | Wage grid (centres and family child care) Link |
| Quebec | | Quebec’s wage grid has been in place for funded CPEs and garderies since 2006. (centres and family child care agency staff) Link |
| Ontario | Ontario has not committed to a wage grid. Ontario has a wage floor. | |
| Manitoba | | Manitoba introduced the Early Learning and Child Care Wage Grid, a voluntary salary guide with minimum starting and target wages in 2022 (centres and family child care providers). The Manitoba Child Care Association has been developing salary scales for the province’s ELCC sector since 2007. Link |
| Saskatchewan | | Saskatchewan does not have a wage grid. They committed to one in their initial and extended agreements. Link |
| Alberta | Alberta has not committed to a wage grid. | |
| British Columbia | | British Columbia continues to test a wage grid pilot project. See this 2025 analysis and update. Link |
| Yukon | | The Yukon has committed to implementing a mandatory wage grid, moving from a wage floor. |
| Northwest Territories | | Wage grid (centres) Link |
| Nunavut | | Wage scale (wage grid) (centres) Link |
Last updated: August 28, 2026
In addition to decent wages, training, and professional development opportunities, solving the early learning and child care workforce crisis requires improving staff benefits such as pensions, extended health care, group benefits, and paid sick leave, as well as addressing working condition issues such as paid preparation time and provision of support or additional staff. Note that issues of staff wages, professional development, credentials, and training are not addressed in this benchmark.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | In 2024, Newfoundland and Labrador introduced a group medical benefits program for educators. In March 2026, the government announced the creation of an Early Childhood Educator Steering Committee to make recommendations related to benefits, wages, recruitment, and working conditions. Link |
| Prince Edward Island | | Prince Edward Island announced a defined contribution pension plan in 2023. The province has also funded Pedagogical Support positions (i.e. float staff) to support educators on various tasks, such as paid preparatory time. Link |
| Nova Scotia | | Nova Scotia introduced a defined benefit pension plan and a group benefits plan in 2024, as well as a grant for family child care providers to contribute to health and dental benefits and an RRSP. Link |
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick has not introduced benefits or working condition initiatives as part of educator recruitment. Link | |
| Quebec | | In Quebec, benefits are part of employee compensation in funded ELCC services, including defined benefits, group insurance, vacation, and statutory holidays. Link |
| Ontario | There are no province-wide benefits, such as pension or medical benefits, for Ontario child care staff. | |
| Manitoba | | Manitoba began offering funding for a registered pension plan and other retirement supports to child care educators in 2010. Link |
| Saskatchewan | | Saskatchewan provides one-time grants of $145 per space to help non-profit centre boards and group family child care providers implement “workforce enhancements” which may include benefits such as pension plan contributions. Link |
| Alberta | Alberta has not introduced benefits or working condition initiatives for educators. Link | |
| British Columbia | There are no province-wide benefits or working condition initiatives for BC child care staff. The province is testing a compensation package including benefits and paid time off for vacation, illness, and attendance at professional development activities. | |
| Yukon | | The Yukon introduced funding for an ELCC benefits package as part of territorial funding to programs in 2022. Link |
| Northwest Territories | | The Northwest Territories has proposed regulatory changes that include bonuses for Indigenous educators and staff with northern experience, and funding for additional staff beyond legal ratio requirements. Link |
| Nunavut | | Nunavut is developing new ELCC legislation that encompasses Inuit culture and languages and aims to foster inclusive, Inuit-centred programs. Link |
Last updated: July 29, 2026
Provincial and territorial governments now regulate parent fees, with most using set or capped fees. In some jurisdictions, operators may charge additional fees for specified program elements, such as meals, waitlists, extended hours, or field trips.
| Province / territory | Status | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | | Additional fees (including wait list fees, field trips, food, extended hours) are prohibited, with some exceptions for administration/registration fees, transportation fees, late fees, and under certain (limited) circumstances, meals and snacks. Link |
| Prince Edward Island | | Designated Early Years Centres must provide meals for no additional fee. Otherwise, no additional fees are explicitly prohibited, including fees for transportation, field trips, and extended hours beyond 10 hours per day. |
| Nova Scotia | | As of 2024-2025, waitlist and registration fees are prohibited. Otherwise, no additional fees are explicitly prohibited, including fees for food, transportation, field trips, and extended hours. |
| New Brunswick | No additional fees are explicitly prohibited, including additional fees for food, transportation, extended hours, field trips, and waitlisting. | |
| Quebec | | Operators are permitted to charge for food and extended hours beyond 10 consecutive hours; maximum amounts are set for these fees. There are explicit prohibitions on all other fees, including waitlisting, transportation, field trips, and activities. |
| Ontario | | Additional fees for food, waitlisting, and anything required by regulation are prohibited. Operators are permitted to charge additional fees (“non-base fees”), including for transportation and field trips. Operators must state base and non-base fees in their parent handbook. Link |
| Manitoba | | Permitted additional fees include administration/registration fees, late payment and late pick-up, transportation fees, and wait list fees. Prohibited fees include mandatory “donations,” activity consumables, and fees in lieu of volunteering/fundraising. Manitoba’s set fees are geared to number of hours. New or increased fees must be board-approved, communicated in writing with advance notice, and reported in facility budget and financial audit. Link |
| Saskatchewan | | Permitted fees include: specialty programming, transportation, excursions, diapers/sunscreen/bug spray, enhanced nutrition options, before and after school programs, extended hours beyond 10-hour standard day (with specified caps), registration/enrolment, late pick-up, and late payment fees. Prohibited additional fees include: waitlisting, inclusion supports, mandatory donations, and “core” child care services. Fees must be disclosed in parent handbooks and documented with receipts. Link |
| Alberta | Operators are permitted to charge additional fees for “optional services” including meals/snacks, transportation, field trips, cultural/enrichment activities, extended hours, diapers, sunscreen, one-time waitlisting, registration fees, and extracurricular activities. Beyond basic program operation, additional fees are not explicitly prohibited. Operators are required to report additional fees to the province twice yearly. Link | |
| British Columbia | | Waitlist fees are prohibited. Otherwise, no additional fees are explicitly prohibited, including fees for food, transportation, field trips, and extended hours beyond 9.5 hours per day. Link |
| Yukon | No additional fees are explicitly prohibited, including meals fees for food, transportation, field trips, and extended hours. | |
| Northwest Territories | | Operators are prohibited from charging any additional fees beyond the regulated fee, but waitlist fees are not prohibited. The Northwest Territories uses a voluntary donation model, wherein operators may accept donations for food, transportation, extended hours, field trips, and other services and programs. Link |
| Nunavut | | Operators are prohibited from charging any additional fees beyond the regulated fee, except for late pick-up penalty fees. |
Last updated: July 29, 2026
