The case study examines two attempted non-profit child care expansion projects in
Scarborough—one at Malvern Family Resource Centre and the other at St. Paul’s United Church
in partnership with Not Your Average Daycare—to illustrate systemic barriers within the current
expansion framework. Despite strong community demand driven by the Canada-Wide Early
Learning and Child Care program and clear need in identified child care deserts, both projects
were hindered by restrictive eligibility rules favouring existing operators, rigid application
windows, and unclear guidance. The requirement for detailed, resource-intensive applications at
an early stage—without assurance of approval—placed disproportionate financial and
operational risk on community organizations, even when viable sites, partnerships, and plans
were in place.
Overall, the findings point to a fundamental misalignment between policy goals and
implementation. Governments have taken a largely passive approach—inviting proponents to
“bring projects forward at their own risk”—rather than actively planning and enabling
expansion. A shift to an active, coordinated model is needed, including clear system planning,
year-round intake processes, support for new non-profit entrants, and proactive resolution of
barriers such as zoning and site readiness. Without this shift, viable community-led projects will
continue to stall, and expansion targets will remain out of reach.