TORONTO — Ontario has reached a deal with the federal government to reduce licensed child-care fees to an average of $10 a day within five years. The province was the last jurisdiction to sign on to the national program. Here's a look at Ontario's deal by the numbers:
$10.2 billion - The overall funding envelope over five years.
$2.9 billion - A sixth year of funding the province says it secured. The federal government says all provinces will get funding beyond the five-year deal, permanently.
86,000 - The number of child-care spaces to be created under the deal, including more than 15,000 that have already been created since 2019.
25 per cent - The amount of the first round of fee reductions, set to start flowing in May, retroactive to April 1.
50 per cent - The fee reduction, on average, that parents will see by the end of the year.
$10 - The daily average child-care fee for licensed spaces by September 2025.
$18 - The new hourly minimum wage for early childhood educators, set to rise by $1 an hour each year until reaching $25 an hour.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2022.
The Canadian Press
