Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC)
Overview of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Plan
The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement supports a high-quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive licensed child care system. CWELCC is improving the affordability of licensed child care in Ontario for eligible children through a phased approach. As of January 1, 2025, base fees are capped at $22 per day for participating programs.
As part of the implementation of CWELCC, the Region of Waterloo will add 4,357 new licensed child care spaces for children aged 0-5 years by 2026. New CWELCC spaces will be located in priority neighbourhoods and support families who need affordable child care the most, including families that are experiencing low income or are underserved in our licensed child care system.
Information for families
You can find a CWELCC-participating program by using the filter in OneList. OneList Waterloo Region is where families can apply online for all licensed care in Waterloo Region, including programs participating in CWELCC. When new CWELCC programs become available, they will be added to OneList.
Important notes
- If you have a child under the age of six who is currently enrolled in a CWELCC program, as of January 1, 2025, your fees will be capped at $22.00/day.
- For child care programs with daily fees currently less than $22.00/day, fees will stay frozen at the rate as of December 31, 2024. No application is needed for this fee reduction.
- Not all licensed child care programs are participating in CWELCC. If a licensed child care program is not part of the CWELCC program, families will continue to pay the full cost of child care services as determined by the child care program.
- Camps and recreation programs serving children 6 to 12 years of age are not eligible to participate in CWELCC.
Information for Current Operators
For child care operators that are currently enrolled in CWELCC in Waterloo Region, detailed information regarding current funding and policies is available on the Children’s Services Operator Portal. Please contact Region of Waterloo Children's Services if you have difficulty accessing the Portal or have any questions.
Enrollment and Directed Growth
As the Service System Manager, Region of Waterloo Children’s Services is responsible for implementing an application and approval process to determine which new licensed child care spaces will be eligible for CWELCC participation.
Region of Waterloo has 4,357 new CWELCC licensed child care spaces to create by 2026. Through a directed growth approach, approved by Region of Waterloo Council (CSD-CHS-23-001, CSD-CHS-23-002, CSD-CHS-25-001, CSD-CHS-26-001) new affordable child care spaces will be created in communities that need them most. Children’s Services has identified thirteen Priority Areas for new CWELCC community-based spaces. These areas were selected because they have low access to licensed child care spaces and a high proportion of low-income families. The Priority Areas are ranked by how many additional CWELCC spaces are needed for children ages 0 to 4 years old.
As a part of the CWELCC agreement, Waterloo Region is required to maintain a ratio of 90% not-for-profit spaces to 10% for profit spaces.
Important notes
- Children's Services is not currently accepting applications for CWELCC enrollment. To receive updates regarding CWELCC, including information about future enrollment processes, sign up to receive updates and visit this webpage regularly.
- If you are an existing child care operator considering a license revision, please contact Children’s Services when you are in the early stages of planning to discuss eligibility for CWELCC.
- If a child care program is already operating as a non-CWELCC enrolled licensee or chooses to operate as a non-CWELCC enrolled licensee, they will not be eligible for any funding. The child care program also will not have access to child care supports, which includes child care fee subsidy, special needs resourcing supports and OneList, Waterloo Region’s centralized waitlist registry.
