What are the parties promising on Childcare?

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Affordability / Education

Childcare platforms

Here's what the 2025 Ontario election parties are promising.

We don't have any PC policies on Childcare.

ONDP

Create 53,000 new, public or not-for-profit affordable childcare spaces
Establish a wage grid for childcare workers with a salary scale starting at $25/hour and $30/hour for RECES

"We will establish a wage grid for child care workers and ensure decent work standards to keep them on the job." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20
Provide paid sick days, paid professional development time, and paid programming time for childcare workers
Reduce fees for before- and after-school childcare, and negotiate with the federal government to expand $10-a-day to school-age children
Establish a regional waitlist for childcare spaces with a single Daycare Application Portal

"We will end the stress and uncertainty of applying at dozens of child care centres and following up endlessly to secure a spot and establish one single Daycare Application Portal for each region to make it easier to find quality childcare close to home." — On Your Side, retrieved 2025-02-22
Set decent work standards for childcare operators
Remove rules limit municipalities in creating their own childcare spaces
Invest in French-language childcare

"We will ensure access to French language education programs close to home, and invest in French-language child care, a proven gateway to French language education." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

We don't have any Liberal policies on Childcare.

Green

Invest in "ready for kindergarten programs" to provide school readiness for families

"Invest in “ready for kindergarten pro- grams” to provide school readiness to alleviate the challenges schools and families face in transitioning to school" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22
Provide funding and planning grants for non-profit centres to expand to regions where childcare is needed

"Accelerate program expansion through access to funding and planning grants for non-profit centres that wish to expand in regions in which more care is needed" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22
Create a province-wide childcare plan that is proactive, publicly-managed, predictable, with targeted investments and expansions

"Create a province-wide child care plan that is proactive, publicly managed, predictable and integrated that provides targeted investments and expansions in areas without adequate care that includes clear goals and timelines, especially for underserved communities" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22
Immediately increase wages for childcare workers with a publicly-funded wage grid

"Address the critical shortage and retention of early childhood educators by immediately increasing wages for child care workers through the implementation of a publicly funded wage grid that ensures child care providers have the funds available to pay fair, equitable wages, benefits and pensions while also being able to provide quality care" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22
Cancel a planned cut of $85.5 million
Provide funding for before- and after-school care, with supports for children with special needs

"Provide adequate funding to ensure the survival of before- and after-school care, including added supports for children with special needs" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22
Cost-share required changes with municipalities

"Cancel the planned cut of $85.5 million and cost-share changes imposed on municipalities" — Our Plan for Fairness, retrieved 2025-02-22

Looking for the parties' positions on other topics?

See our full 2025 Ontario election platform comparison

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