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The short answer
"$10-a-day childcare" is a federal target, not a fixed price: Ottawa's funding aims for an average of $10 a day by 2025 to 2026 for regulated childcare spaces, delivered through agreements with each province and territory. The reduced fees apply only in licensed, participating spaces, and each province sets its own fees; Ontario, for example, set base fees at $22 a day or less from 1 January 2025. Getting a spot means joining waitlists early.
Many Nigerian families arrive expecting to pay $10 a day for daycare and find something different. The headline is real, but it is an average target across regulated spaces, delivered province by province, and the main barrier is a place rather than the price. Here is how it works and how to improve your chances.
What the $10 a day means
The federal early learning and child care page says the funding is meant to achieve "an average of $10 a day by 2025 to 2026 for all regulated child care spaces in Canada", following a target of a 50% cut in average fees outside Quebec by the end of 2022. Budget 2021 committed over $27 billion over five years, and Canada signed a Canada-wide agreement for 2021 to 2026 with each province and territory. Quebec has its own asymmetrical agreement, building on its long-standing system.
- It is an average. Some families pay less than $10, others more.
- It applies to regulated spaces. The federal page says families in licensed spaces benefit. Unlicensed home care does not get the reduced fee.
- Your province sets the fee. Check your province's own child care page for the current rate.
How it looks in different provinces
| Province | What we could confirm |
|---|---|
| Ontario | Base fees of $22 a day or less since 1 January 2025 for participating licensed care (Ontario child care rules page, updated 28 Oct 2025) |
| Quebec | Separate agreement; check the Quebec government's current reduced-contribution rate |
| Other provinces | Each has a Canada-wide agreement for 2021 to 2026; current fees are on the provincial page |
Ontario also requires unlicensed providers to tell parents in writing that the programme "is not licensed by the Government of Ontario". If a provider gives you that notice, the reduced fee does not apply.
Getting on waitlists as a newcomer
The federal page speaks of ongoing growth in spaces, building on about 40,000 new spaces created through earlier investment, but demand in large cities runs ahead of supply. Waitlists are run by centres themselves or through a municipal or provincial registry, depending on where you live.
- Start before you arrive. Many waitlists accept registration with an expected start date and a future address. Use the area you are most likely to live in.
- Join several lists. Register with centres near home and near work.
- Ask each centre if it participates in the province's fee reduction, and what the monthly fee is for your child's age.
- Update your file when your address or start date changes, and confirm every few months that you are still on the list.
- Consider licensed home child care. Ontario's rules allow licensed home child care, overseen by an agency, for up to six children under 13. These spaces can count as licensed.
- Ask about fee subsidies. Lower-income families may get extra help on top of the reduced fee; the province or municipality runs this.
Questions to ask every centre
- Is the centre licensed, and does it take part in the province's fee reduction?
- What is the daily or monthly fee for my child's age group today?
- How long is the waitlist for that age group, and is there a fee to join it?
- Do siblings or families already enrolled get priority?
- What notice will I get when a space opens, and how long do I have to accept?
Write down the answers with the date. Fees and policies change, and a dated note helps you compare centres fairly.
Quebec families
Quebec is not part of the multilateral framework in the same way as other provinces; the federal agreements page says it supports the framework's general principles but does not adhere to it, and has its own asymmetrical agreement. Check the Quebec government's current rules and fees for subsidised places directly.
Budgeting while you wait
An example: if a family pays a reduced fee of $22 a day for 21 days a month, that is $462 a month. While on a waitlist the same family might pay a private, non-participating centre a much higher monthly fee. Plan for the higher figure until a participating spot is confirmed. Families with children should also apply for the Canada Child Benefit early. For a home-based option, read starting a home daycare in Ontario.
Where Pryme fits
When one parent works and the other is waiting for a daycare spot, family support to Nigeria often has to be paused or reduced. A Pryme account shows the rate and fee before you send money home, so you can adjust amounts with your eyes open.
Questions people ask
Is childcare really $10 a day in Canada?
It is a federal target: an average of $10 a day by 2025 to 2026 for regulated spaces. Each province sets its fees, and some are still above $10.
How much is daycare in Ontario under the fee reduction?
Ontario set base fees at $22 a day or less from 1 January 2025 for participating licensed care.
Can newcomers get $10-a-day childcare?
Yes, if you secure a space in a licensed, participating programme. Immigration status is not a stated barrier, but places are limited.
How do I get on a daycare waitlist in Canada?
Register with centres or your city's registry as early as possible, join several lists and keep your details updated.
Sources
- ESDC: Early learning and child care (modified 19 Nov 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Canada: Early learning and child care agreements with provinces and territories (modified 29 Jul 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ontario: Child care rules in Ontario (updated 28 Oct 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
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