Ontario falls short of $10-a-day child care goal as Toronto waitlists grow

Ontario has not yet reached its $10aday child care target, even as demand continues to outpace available spaces in Toronto and other parts of the province. The province was expected to create 86,000 affordable spaces this year under its agreement with the federal government, but it has added just under 60,000 so far. Officials say lower fees have increased demand, while parents describe long waitlists and limited options close to home. In Toronto, one daycare’s waitlist has grown from a few hundred children before the pandemic to more than 700. Similar pressures are being reported in Waterloo, Thunder Bay and Ottawa, where families are struggling to find spaces in the program. Some child care advocates and parents are urging the province to focus more on expanding capacity than on reducing fees further. Ontario says it remains committed to adding spaces and working with local operators and the federal government to support the program.