Regional council will ask the province to support the addition of up to 2,868 new affordable child care spaces in Waterloo region.
Ontario’s Ministry of Education has allocated 1,871 new spaces to Waterloo Region by 2026, as part of major changes coming through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system announced in 2022.
The Region of Waterloo is now asking the province to add an additional 997 child care spaces on top of that.
This number would bring the region in line with the provincial target of providing licensed care spaces for 37 per cent of children.
The region says the request will provide high-quality, affordable child care to support the local workforce and economy, create development opportunities for children, and help address the impacts of poverty.
