Maple News reports that Ontario will significantly raise the minimum wage for early childhood educators (ECEs) in licensed child-care centres to $23.86 per hour starting next year. This is a notable increase from the previously planned $20 per hour and aims to combat the growing workforce shortage in the province’s child-care sector.
The increase is part of Ontario’s broader strategy to support the federal government’s $10-a-day national child care plan. Staffing issues have long plagued the sector, with many centres forced to close classrooms due to a lack of qualified personnel. By offering more competitive wages, the province aims to attract and retain educators essential for the planned expansion of child-care services.
Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, unveiled a comprehensive childcare workforce strategy in November. Central to this plan is the gradual increase in the wage floor, which will rise annually by $1 until reaching $25.86 an hour in 2026. This adjustment is expected to transition Ontario from one of the lowest-paying provinces for ECEs to one of the highest.
The shortage is particularly concerning as the province has committed to creating 86,000 new licensed child-care spaces by 2026 under the federal child-care program agreement. However, internal assessments warn the province may face a shortfall of at least 8,500 ECEs by then if current staffing trends continue.
Under the original agreement with the federal government, Ontario introduced a wage floor of $18 per hour in 2022, with plans to raise it by $1 annually to $25. Lecce’s new strategy accelerates this increase while adding an additional $0.86 next year.
The federal $10-a-day child-care program is designed to provide affordable, high-quality early learning and care for all families across Canada—excluding Quebec, which already has a long-standing, subsidized system in place. As part of this initiative, fees have already been cut by 50% in 92% of licensed centres and home daycares, with the aim of reaching an average of $10 per day by 2026.
Maple News notes that nearly half of Canada’s provinces and territories are already offering regulated childcare at or below the $10-a-day average. Ontario’s recent wage boost marks a strategic step toward ensuring that the province meets its expansion goals while maintaining quality standards in child education.