Ontario daycare waitlists grow as staff shortages leave spaces unused

Ontario child care centres are facing long waitlists even when licensed spaces are still available, according to managers and advocates who say staff shortages are limiting how many children can actually be served. At the Canoe Landing Child Care Centre in downtown Toronto, more than 100 families are waiting for a spot, but the centre says it cannot expand because it does not have enough qualified early childhood educators. Five years after the federal $10aday child care program began, workers and operators say recruitment and retention remain major problems. The province says it is trying to improve working conditions through its workforce strategy, including higher wages and better career development, while the federal government says it continues to provide funding to support access to child care. Advocacy groups say low pay, difficult schedules, and limited benefits are pushing workers out of the sector, adding to pressure on families and the system overall.