ACE backs Ontario child care funding extension, pushes for more spaces

The Association of Canadian Early Learning Programs welcomed Ontario’s four-year CWELCC extension but says the deal leaves too many families without access to affordable child care. ACE wants Ottawa and Ontario to bring non-CWELCC families into the process and set targets to expand licensed spaces.

Why it matters: - Ontario’s child care deal extends fee stability for families already in CWELCC, but it does not solve the province’s space shortage. - ACE says affordable child care only helps if families can actually find a licensed spot. - The next year of federal-provincial talks could shape Ontario child care access for years.

What happened: - The Association of Canadian Early Learning Programs welcomed the four-year extension of the Canada-Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. - Under the extension, Ontario will receive nearly $12 billion in federal funding from March 31, 2027, to March 31, 2031. - Ontario committed to keep CWELCC fees at an average of $19 per day, with a cap of $22 per day, for participating families. - ACE Chair Krystal Churcher said the extension gives participating families certainty and credited the federal and Ontario governments for reaching the deal.

The details: - The fee commitment is guaranteed only until June 30, 2027. - Ontario’s share of the $5.4 billion in additional federal funding announced in June 2026 has not yet been negotiated. - Families outside CWELCC are not covered by the extension. - Some families outside the program continue paying full market fees. - Other families cannot find a participating provider at all. - ACE said extra funding for the current program will not change those families’ situation. - ACE said helping excluded families will require structural changes to how child care is delivered in Ontario. - The organization urged governments to start that conversation now while they work on the path forward.

Between the lines: - The extension strengthens the program for current participants, but it also highlights a two-tier system between families inside CWELCC and families still waiting for access. - ACE is signaling that the debate is no longer just about affordability. It is also about availability, provider mix and whether the current model can scale. - Churcher said parents outside the program feel the system was built without them and need a seat at the table before decisions are made.

What's next: - ACE wants the federal and Ontario governments to include families outside CWELCC, and the organizations that serve them, in negotiations and policy discussions over the coming year. - ACE also wants both governments to examine structural barriers that limit participation, sustainability and growth. - The group is calling for Ontario to use all licensed child care models, including non-profit, for-profit and home-based providers, to meet demand. - ACE wants a clear plan with targets and timelines to expand the number of licensed child care spaces that qualify for CWELCC. - ACE said it is ready to work with both governments and share its members’ experience.

The bottom line: - The extension gives current CWELCC families stability, but ACE says real progress in Ontario child care will depend on adding spaces and bringing excluded families into the plan. - ACE says it represents child care operators across all models of care and advocates for accessible, high-quality child care for every family in Canada. - ACE provided social media links to its Facebook page and X account.