Parents and caregivers of children under the age of five in Ontario can expect to pay an average of $10 a day for child care by September of 2025. Director of Social Services for the County of Renfrew Laura LePine says it will be a phased in approach with families starting to see some savings immediately.
LePine tells myFM it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how much each family will save because costs vary from one household to another.
LePine says right now it appears only licensed child care centres and licensed home child care centres will be eligible for rebates.
The Director of Social Services for the County of Renfrew adds they are working with child care providers to enroll them in the new program.
LePine says it’s not a difficult process to become a licensed child care provider and the first step is to start with an application.
As part of the early learning and child care agreement, child care fees will be reduced in Ontario through four steps to an average of $10 a day per child five years old and younger by September 2025.
Parent rebates will be retroactive to April 1 and begin in May.
As a first step, all Ontario families with children five years old and younger in participating licensed child care centres will see their fees reduced, up to 25 per cent, to a minimum of $12 per day, retroactive to April 1, 2022.In December 2022, parents will see another reduction.
Families will see further fee reductions in September 2024, culminating in a final reduction to an average of $10-a-day child care by September 2025.
As part of the new child care deal, the province also plans to create approximately 86,000 new, high-quality child care spaces for children five years old and younger.
LePine says there has been no indication on whether or not new child care spaces will be created in Renfrew County.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)