Affordable childcare is something that needs to be considered if planning on moving to another country. According to the World Economic Forum, the U.S. and New Zealand are some of the most expensive countries in terms of childcare costs.
While some nations like Portugal and the U.K. are putting policies in place to cut the cost of childcare, it can dampen aspirations for young families looking for greener pastures.
Canada is one such country that alleviates the heavy burden on parents. The government wants to give access to affordable early learning and childcare facilities. Via its Toward $10-a-day: Early Learning and Child Care initiative, it aims to reduce fees to $10 a day on average by 2026.
Whether you’re moving from city to city or plan on making Canada your permanent home, we’ll give a breakdown of childcare costs across major Canadian cities.
How to Choose Proper Childcare
Affordability shouldn’t be a parent’s main concern. When choosing a daycare center for your child, shortlist your options to a few places.
Ensure that staff are properly trained, experienced and culturally sensitive. The premises must be safe and clean. Do they have fun and educational activities planned for the day?
For example, Ridley Orchard School in Toronto employs bilingual staff speaking English and Punjabi. Taking inspiration from Montessori and Reggio early learning methods, the school prides itself on encouraging little ones to inquire, wonder and question why.
If the establishment ticks all these boxes, you can start the process of placing your child at a center you feel comfortable with.
Ottawa, Ontario
CTV News reports that Canada’s capital city will receive $443 million in funding next year. This is in line with the national $10-A-Day Child-Care program and Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care program.
Ontario Education Minister Todd Smith tells the news outlet this massive cash injection will cap childcare fees at $22 a day, starting in January 2025.
Daycare operators are struggling under the current model, requiring them to freeze daycare fees at 2022 levels.
Simply Smart says the average cost of daycare fees has risen since the pandemic. Parents are having to fork out about $1,600 a month in the state of Ontario.
Until $10-A-Day Child-Care comes into effect, affordable daycare in Canada, can still be possible.
Parents residing in Ottawa are eligible for a child care fee subsidy. These subsidies help families with the costs of licensed child care. The waiting time for subsidies is based on available space and funding.
The city does however prioritize families that are most in need and children must be 12 years and under.
To find best daycare options, parents can use online directories like Childcare.Center, which provide access to local child care providers and helpful information for making informed decisions
Toronto, Ontario
Full-time care in Toronto can hover between $32 and $45 per day, depending on a child’s age. Home care fees are understandably more expensive and can cost about $49.
While other cities have been making strides to reach their $10-A-Day Child-Care goals, Toronto is lagging. The Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives says that of the 32 cities agreeing to the federal target, more than half achieved it.
The report mentions that toddler care in Toronto ($725 a month) is the third highest in the country, behind Richmond and Calgary.
Montreal, Quebec
There are various types of daycares in Quebec. Some offer full-time or part-time services, while others only accept kids in a particular age range.
The Quebec Ministry of Finance calculates the daily cost of daycare based on the parent's income and the fees at a subsidized or unsubsidized daycare.
Daily fees at a subsidized child care facility are $9.10 a day. In a non-subsidized daycare, the daily fees can start from $35 to $60.
Vancouver, British Columbia
Despite subsidies coming into effect, parents say it is more difficult to find childcare in British Columbia.
Statistics Canada notes that finding available care remains a top challenge for young families. The good news is that daycare costs have seen a significant decline due to provincial and federal subsidies.
The organization tells Vancouver Is Awesome that expenses for children attending full-time childcare dropped from a monthly average of $663 in 2022 to $508 in 2023.
Calgary, Alberta
According to the Calgary Herald, daycare fees in Alberta have declined to an average of $15 a day.
The sharp drop amounts to a saving of $13,700 a year for cash-strapped parents. The publication says the milestone was possible thanks to Alberta and the federal government reaching a $9.8 billion deal over five years to meet its target.
Further to the funding, daycare fees for infants were slashed by $883 per month at full-time childcare facilities. However, preschools providing part-time care were exempt from federal funding.
Now that you know the cost of childcare in these cities, you can make an informed decision on the direction you’d like to take.