Financial help with child care

Create an account and complete the online application form. Applying does not confirm your eligibility – this is just the first step in the process.

You'll need to provide information about:

• Personal details for yourself and spouse (if applicable) – date of birth, gender, marital status, income source, immigration status
• Contact information – address, phone, email
• Work or school details – start date, type of work / school, reason for needing child care
• Other adults in your household – names, move-in dates, relationships
• Your child(ren) – names, dates of birth, preferred child care choices and start dates

You'll need to upload documentation in four main categories.

Income verfication

• Most recent Notice of Assessment or Canada Child Benefit statement for each parent/caregiver

Identification for all family members

Choose one:

• Birth certificate or Statement of Live Birth
• Canadian Passport
• Citizenship or immigration documents
• Work permit / visa (if temporary resident)
• Temporary visitor permit (child only)

Proof of Niagara residency

Choose one:

• Lease agreement or landlord letter including landlord's name and contact number
• Mortgage statement or proof of purchase
• Most recent utility bill, such as cable, hydro, gas
• Driver's licence
• Additional documentation may be required

Proof of custody

• Family composition form
• Additional documentation may be needed, such as legal custody / separation agreement / guardianship documents, if applicablean or kinship letter - letter from Family and Children's Services with temporary custody, if applicable

Reason for service documents

Choose based on your situation:

• If employed: Employment letter (pay stubs may be required)
• If self-employed: Business licence, registration, HST number document, or Certificate of Incorporation
• If in school / training: Confirmation of registration, schedule of classes, OSAP info (if applicable)
• If medical / exceptional circumstances: Medical referral form completed by regulated health professional

After all required documents are received, an in-person appointment will be scheduled with a Children's Services caseworker to verify your eligibility.

The caseworker may request additional documentation if more information is needed.

If you're eligible for fee subsidy, you'll review and sign a Child Care Fee Subsidy Agreement and Responsibilities form at this meeting.

Once approved for child care subsidy, you must:

• Renew your Child Care Subsidy Agreement every year with your Children's Services caseworker
• Respond to all communication about your child care
• Ensure your child attends the program every scheduled day. Contact the program if your child is ill and contact your caseworker if illness lasts three or more days.
• Report any changes immediately to your caseworker – work or school schedule, living arrangements, address, contact information
• Give at least two weeks notice to the child care program and caseworker before withdrawing your child(ren) from care. This is important to avoid costs being charged that cannot be covered by subsidy
• Contact your caseworker before registering your child in any program or switching your child to a new program

Details of all responsibilities are included in our standard Child Care Fee Subsidy Agreement and Responsibilities form you'll sign if approved.

When a family has a pre-approval, they:

• Know their fee subsidy will likely be approved once a child care space becomes available, as long as there are no significant changes to their income or reason for needing child care
• Know what their daily cost of child care will be (conditional on final approval)
• Can move through the final approval stage for fee subsidy more quickly once a space becomes available

To apply for pre-approval, applicants must:

• Have received an invitation from Children's Services
• Live in Niagara
• Have each parent / guardian employed, in school or training, or participating in an employment or training activity through Ontario Works
• Have filed their most recent income tax return and provide their most recent Notice of Assessment and / or Canada Child Benefit information

Applying for pre-approval follows the same process as applying for fee subsidy. Applicants must also:

• Complete the online application using a preferred start date within three months of the application date
• Select their preferred centre as their child care choice

• Families must still be eligible when their child starts care. For example, applicants must continue to meet income and activity requirements and choose a participating licensed child care provider in Niagara.
• Pre-approval does not guarantee a child care space at a centre or licensed home child care provider
• A child's position on the provider's waitlist stays the same regardless of fee subsidy pre-approval
• Families who already receive fee subsidy do not need to reapply for pre-approval