Canada-wide early learning and child care

The expansion of child care spaces is rooted in Ontario's Access and Inclusion Framework. This framework supports increased child care for:

• Children of low-income families
• Vulnerable children
• Children from diverse communities
• Children with special needs
• Francophone children
• Indigenous children

Applications are evaluated based on a weighted scale that includes:

• Location in a priority neighbourhood
• Currently contracted as an operator with Niagara Region
• Auspice
• Flexible scheduling (non-traditional hours and / or part-time care)
• Francophone or Indigenous programming or support
• Approach to equity, diversity and inclusion
• Inclusivity of low-income children, vulnerable children and children from diverse communities
• Policy and pedagogy to support developmental vulnerability
• Policy and supports for children with special needs
• Staff salaries
• Staff recruitment and retention plan
• Financial viability

The start-up grant application is part of the expansion application. To be eligible, the application must have new Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care spaces approved.

The maximum amount of start-up grant allocated by application is based on a ministry guideline of:

• $9,000 per newly created child care space, with a maximum of $350,000 for every 20 child care spaces created
• Home child care licensees receive grants up to $1,200 per space created to a maximum of $7,200 per provider

Eligibility

As of November 2025, the Ministry introduced updated guidelines for start-up grant funding. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Commit to participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system for at least seven years from the date the new spaces open
• Spend all start-up grant funds within the service agreement timeframe and no later than Dec. 31, 2026
• Prioritize creating full-day licensed child care spaces for children aged zero to four in communities with vulnerable and diverse populations

Existing operators with a purchase of service agreement with Niagara Region will be flowed funding based on approved timelines.

New operators will be given an approved amount of funding based on their submission. Funding will be flowed in a lump sum after they receive their licence and have a fully executed purchase of service agreement.

Home-based child care

Home-based child care is eligible for start-up grant funding for play-based materials only. Funding will be flowed through the agency, and the agency will be responsible for administering it and reconciling it to Niagara Region.

If a home closes before Dec. 31, 2026, the agency must recover all materials purchased with start-up grant funding and redistribute them.

In 2025, infrastructure grant funding was introduced under the Canada-Ontario Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. This funding is only available to not-for-profit licensed child care providers to support creation and expansion of licensed child care spaces.

The grant supports capital-related costs for expansion projects, following provincial eligibility requirements and local planning priorities.

Eligibility

According to the Ontario Child Care and Early Years Funding Guidelines (Chapter 7 - Infrastructure Funding), eligible projects must align with provincial expansion objectives, including:

• Increasing access to licensed child care in underserved or high-need communities
• Supporting children from low-income households
• Advancing inclusion and reducing barriers for racialized and equity-deserving communities
• Aligning with Ontario's Access and Inclusion Framework

Infrastructure funding is available only to not-for-profit operators. For-profit providers are not eligible.

Role of the Region (Service System Manager)

The Region, as the Service System Manager, is responsible for:

• Identifying priority growth areas based on Niagara's Directed Growth Plan
• Assessing community need and expansion targets
• Selecting and prioritizing eligible infrastructure projects
• Ensuring alignment with provincial funding guidelines

All infrastructure projects must follow both provincial policy and local planning priorities.

Application process

Niagara Region collects information and assesses providers' alignment with provincial priorities.

The Region assesses proposals against:

• Provincial eligibility
• Community need
• Alignment with the Directed Growth Plan
• Inclusion and equity priorities

Not-for-profit providers that met the initial screening criteria are invited to submit a formal Infrastructure Grant application with more details on how they meet provincial requirements.

Funding approval

Approval of infrastructure grant funding is subject to:

• Provincial funding availability
• Compliance with the Ontario Child Care and Early Years Funding Guidelines
• Confirmation of eligible project costs
• Ongoing reporting and reconciliation

The Region has the right to request additional documents to support eligibility and compliance.

As of Sept. 2026, the Province has not confirmed whether additional infrastructure grant funding will be available in 2027.

The number of sites a provider may apply for and receive approval for depends on the number of spaces available under the provincial targets.

Do not submit an application without a confirmed site. There are spaces allotted for each year until 2026.

Any application submitted for a new child care site MUST be completed before Dec. 31, 2026.

Home-based child care

Licensed home child care agencies must have a Canada-Wide Early Learing and Child Care service agreement with the service system manager where their head office is located.

Homes within the existing licence can be created wherever the need lies. However, preferably within one of the priority neighbourhoods.

Under Ministry guidelines, Niagara Region must maintain an 80/20 non-profit to for-profit ratio within the system as a whole, not by individual municipality or service year.

While we are accepting applications from for-profit providers, they will not be evaluated at this time as Niagara Region has achieved the maximum growth in our for-profit auspice.

All project milestones associated with start-up grant payments will be indicated on your approval letter. Any change to the scope or timeline of these milestones must be communicated and approved by Niagara Region.

If you discover that the Canada-Wide Early Learning Child Care system is not a good fit for your program, you can opt-out at ay time. If the program received start-up grant funding and withdraws from the program before March 31, 2026, all start-up grant funding must be returned in full to Niagara Region.