In February 2025, Ontario and Canada finalized the 2024-2025 Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund Action Plan. Ontario is now providing CMSMs/DSSABs with guidance to begin implementation. The ELCC Infrastructure Fund supports infrastructure projects with a goal of increasing inclusion in child care for underserved communities through the creation of new, licensed child care spaces to non-profit centres.

The ELCC Infrastructure Fund is a partnership between the federal and provincial governments with the intention of creating new licensed child care spaces especially in rural, high-cost and low income urban neighbourboods. The Fund aims to increase the availability, affordability, and inclusivity options for Ontario’s families.

The Ministry of Education has now finalized the allocations for this Infrastructure Fund.
The ELCC Infrastructure Fund supports not-for-profit licensed child care centres in alignment with Ontario’s Access and Inclusion Framework and will complement the Start-up Grant program (please see the updated Chapter 5 of the Guidelines, which now includes information on ELCC Infrastructure Fund in part 2).

The ELCC Infrastructure Fund envelope of about $135.1 million for 2025 is being distributed to CMSMs/DSSABs as follows:

• Base Allocation: $70.5 million distributed equally across all CMSMs/DSSABs (a flat amount of $1,500,000 per CMSM/DSSAB).
• Proportional Allocation: $64.6 million distributed proportionally based on each CMSM’s/DSSAB’s share of the revised 2025 and 2026 community-based child care space targets.

So, for example, Waterloo Region will receive $6,282,430, Toronto will receive $19,919,553, Algoma will receive $1,743,343, etc.

In July 2025, CMSMs/DSSABs will be required to report to the ministry on the ELCC Infrastructure Fund funding. This report-back may be used to support ministry assessment of local progress and ability to commit funding by December 2025.

Note: Home child care, school-based child care and programs for kindergarten-aged children are NOT eligible for this ELCC Infrastructure Fund.