By: Asvini Uthayakumaran
Canada’s promise of $10-a-day child care— a promise that would make early learning affordable and universal by April 2026—has produced uneven results. A recent report published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) provides a picture of how child care fees have changed since the federal government introduced Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC). In its current state, child care has become a two-tiered system. For families that have found CWELCC child care there have been significant price reductions. On the other hand, families relying on child care outside of CWELCC continue to pay high prices for care.
CCPA surveyed 37 cities and found that although fees have dropped significantly, they still remain above the target in most parts of the country. There are still many families across Canada that do not have accessible and affordable child care. In six provinces and territories, care is already at or below the $10-per-day goal. But in major provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, fees remain steep. For example, infant care in Richmond, BC, costs approximately $46/day, and in Surrey, nearly $39/day, roughly four times the target rate. Ontario averages about $22/day for infants, while Alberta’s set fee of $16.69/day remains well above the goal. Despite the high costs, families in cities such as Toronto have seen monthly savings between $700 and $1,000, thanks to steep fee cuts. Yet in places like Richmond and Surrey, savings are nearly negligible—only $100–$200 per month.
These mixed outcomes reflect a need to address two other key issues that severely hinder the implementation of $10 a day child care: (1) lack of spaces and (2) staff shortages. Lower fees have increased demand in many regions, but actual licensed spaces remain insufficient, creating persistent “childcare deserts”. Additionally, the child care sector has long been plagued by a staffing crisis due to inadequate pay and poor working conditions. Both space and staff shortages have made it difficult to expand capacity and maintain quality.
Going forward, the study argues, policy must shift from focusing primarily on fee reduction to building a robust public and non-profit infrastructure. Implementing regulated fees has proven effective where it’s done, but keeping the promise of $10-a-day care by April 2026 will require investments in both space and staff, such as prescribed wage grids for educators and stable funding for new centres.
Overall, Canada has taken significant strides toward affordable childcare. But until every community has both affordable and accessible spaces, and a fair, sustainable system for educators, truly universal $10‑a‑day care will remain out of reach.
Read the full CCPA Report here.