Median Monthly Infant Child Care Fees, by city, Canada, 2016
Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from Macdonald D and Friendly M. A Growing Concern. 2016 Child Care Fees in Canada’s Big Cities. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. 2016. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2016/12/A_Growing_Concern.pdf -accessed July 25, 2017.
The median monthly child care fees for infants* varied widely across cities in Canada in 2016.
The lowest fees were in Québec – Montréal being $164 per month and Québec City, Longeueuil, Laval & Gatineau being $179.
The highest fees were in Ontario – with Toronto at $1,649; Markham at $1,454; and Vaughan and Mississauga not far behind.
This was followed by British Columbia – Vancouver at $1,321.
The monthly fees for toddlers** varied from $164 to $1,375 – again Québec having the lowest fees.1
Preschool*** care varied from $164 to $1,150.1
*Infants- although the exact age range differs by province/territory, it is roughly children 1.5 years old and younger.
**Toddlers- although the age range differs by province/territory, toddlers are generally aged 1.5 to three years old.
***Preschool- although the age range differs by province/territory, preschoolers are generally from three years old to kindergarten-age or school-age (between four and six years).
1Macdonald D. and Friendly M. A Growing Concern. 2016 Child Care Fees in Canada’s Big Cities. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. 2016. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2016/12/A_Growing_Concern.pdf-accessed July 25, 2017.
Implications
Child care fees are continuing to increase in Canada. This has a significant impact on parents with young families who are trying to also budget for increasing costs of food and housing. Children from low-income families are potentially the most negatively impacted by high and increasing child care fees.1