Fully updated July 2026.
This 2026 edition of the Guide to Early Learning and Child Care in Ontario is a project of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC). The OCBCC works to inform and engage the early learning and child care community and to amplify the voices of our community to call for a comprehensive early learning and care system. This Guide is part of that work. Through this publication, we aim to provide ECE students and professionals with a thorough overview of the current state of early learning and child care in Ontario including legislation and regulation, the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan (CWELCC), financing, curriculum, and pedagogy, as well exploring issues of diversity, children’s rights, advocacy and the role of the professional.
Child care in Ontario continues to evolve and change. In April 2021, the federal government introduced the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) plan. In January 2025, Ontario implemented a new funding formula for licensed child care programs. The Guide details these changes, and their impact on the sector.
We hope for this publication to be a living document and request that readers write to us to let us know what you liked, what you did not like, and what you would like to see in future editions. You can contact the OCBCC at: info@childcareontario.org.
You can order the PDF version of the Guide from this page for $25.00, a print copy of the guide for $35.00, or both for $45.00. Please click here to purchase. If you want to purchase multiple copies of the Guide, please contact us!
This document is written and published by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC). By downloading this document, you accept and agree to the terms of use.