Ontario signs child-care plan extension with Ottawa

Ontario has signed an extension with the federal government on its affordable child-care plan, with Education Minister Paul Calandra telling parents the move will keep fees at the current average of $19 per day.

In a letter sent to families, Calandra said “I know that child-care costs are a top concern for families … I am pleased to share that Ontario has successfully negotiated a one-year extension of the federal child-care program which was to expire on March 31, 2026.”

This “ensures continuity of the program for the coming year, providing much-needed stability for families and keeping fees at their current average of $19 per day, and a maximum of $22 per day, until at least Dec. 31, 2026.”

The federal government’s national program will eventually reach fees of $10-a-day, and Ottawa