About the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) is Ontario’s central voice advocating for a universal, affordable, high-quality, public and non-profit early learning and child care system.
Get to Know the OCBCC
Who We Are
Founded in 1981, OCBCC brings together early childhood educators, child care workers, parents, grandparents, centre directors, students, union members, and allies from every corner of the province. We are united by one goal: an Ontario early learning and child care system in which every child has access to good child care, and every educator has decent work and pay.
We envision a future where every family has access to affordable child care, and every educator and child care worker has professional pay and decent working conditions.
The work of the OCBCC is made possible through our dedicated staff, volunteer Board of Directors, and a Provincial Advisory Council representing member organizations, regional child care centres, local advocacy groups, and individuals.
What We Do
We lead and support advocacy that strengthens child care across Ontario by:
- Community organizing;
- Digital campaigns;
- Working with government at all levels to influence child care legislation and policy;
- Developing tools and resources to support educators, parents, and advocates;
- Media relations;
- Providing professional support through member benefits and training;
- Supporting the sector through participation in advisory committees, boards of trustees, taskforces, etc.
- Publishing original research, funding analyses, and policy recommendations;
- Building a united movement of child care centres, labour organizations, parent and community groups, and individuals.
Our Impact
- Over 40 years of advocacy and leadership
- Thousands of members and allies across Ontario
- Key role in winning the $10aDay child care plan
- Trusted source of resources, funding analysis, and community insight
- Supporter and amplifier of community-led and grassroots movements
What Guides the OCBCC
Mission
To unite and empower communities, families, and early childhood professionals in advocating for a universally accessible, high‑quality, non‑profit child care system in Ontario—one that honors diversity, upholds democratic governance, and ensures that every child, family, and educator thrives.
Vision
An Ontario where publicly funded, culturally responsive child care is recognized as a fundamental right—delivered by valued professionals in inclusive settings—so that all children flourish, families are supported as equal partners, and society benefits from a strong, equitable foundation for lifelong learning.
Our Founding Principles
OCBCC is built on a set of guiding values that drive our work today and into the future.
Funding
We rely on donations and memberships to support our work advocating for more affordable child care and funding to support quality—including decent wages for early childhood educators and child care staff.
Most of our funding comes from the memberships of child care centres, trade unions, and from passionate individuals who believe every child should have access to high quality child care.
Join us and support our work—your membership makes a difference!
Governance
We are a non-partisan advocacy group with broad membership including the early childhood education, labour, student, women’s, and francophone communities. The OCBCC Board, staff and Provincial Council advocates to all levels of government (federal, provincial, and municipal). We collaborate with our national partner organization, Child Care Now to ensure the Federal government continues to fund and lead Canada’s $10aDay Early Learning and Child Care plan. At a provincial level, we engage in government relations and advocacy to the Ontario government and opposition parties for better policy and funding of Ontario’s early learning and child care sector. We collaborate with local partners, like the Toronto Community for Better Child Care, Hamilton Child Care Advocates, the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO)’s local Care Collectives, and other local networks to engage municipal governments on child care issues.
Strategy
After winning federal and provincial commitment to the $10aDay plan in 2021, the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario released the Roadmap to Universal Child Care in Ontario to set out a shared vision and a pathbreaking plan for how the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan should be best implemented here in Ontario. The Roadmap was developed through community engagement and consultation, gathering feedback and input from our members, partners, allies and their communities about how best to move child care forward. The Roadmap sets our shared path forward for Ontario child care, featuring 20 Policy Interventions that can transform early learning and child care in Ontario from a market-based patchwork to a comprehensive, publicly funded system.
Join Us in the Mission for Better Child Care
Our strength comes from people like you. Whether you’re a parent, educator, centre director, child care provider, student, grandparent or ally, there’s a place for you in our movement.
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