Ottawa is projected to miss its 2026 child care deadline, with just six provinces meeting the $10-a-day target. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives' report indicates significant fee reductions in places like Ontario, Alberta, and Nunavut. However, five provinces lack strategies to reach the target. For instance, parents in Richmond, B.C. face costs averaging $39 per day. Critics argue that the federal government's goal, which allows for averaging fees, may lead to unmet expectations, causing discontent among parents post-deadline.
It's almost certain that even after the 2026 deadline passes, many parents in five provinces will be paying more than $10 a day for child care.
The fee drops for parents so far have been staggering in Ontario, Alberta and Nunavut, as these jurisdictions had let fees get far too high before the federal program.
I think that this will become a political problem in April of 2026 when folks say, 'Wait a second, this is a $10-a-day child care program, but I'm paying $12, $17, $20 a day.'
The report says just six provinces and territories have met or improved upon the government's 2026 target for $10-a-day child care.
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