January 22, 2026
CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn has written to Ontario education minister Paul Calandra, warning that without adequate provincial funding or a robust workforce strategy, Ontario is failing to deliver on the promise of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program.
In light of British Columbia premier David Eby saying a “significant decision” is expected from Mark Carney’s federal Liberal government after the January 30 meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for early learning and child care, Ontario’s largest union is joining parents and children’s advocates in calling for the vital $10-a-day child care program to be protected and expanded.
While the federal government’s contribution to CWELCC in Ontario from 2021-22 to 2025-26 totals more than $10 billion, the provincial contribution is only about $270 million—or less than 3% of the federal investment—over those five years. Early learning and child care is a shared responsibility.
Inadequate provincial contributions are letting down Ontario children, families, and workers. The Ontario government has the power and resources to do better. Minister Paul Calandra and premier Doug Ford must step up and do their part to adequately fund child care.
CUPE Ontario is calling on the Ford government to:
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- Extend the current one-year agreement with the federal government to five years and significantly increase provincial funding for early learning and child care, over and above the 3% annual investment growth from the federal government.
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- Fund a workforce strategy that includes a starting wage of at least $30 an hour for all child care workers and $35 an hour for registered early childhood educators, as well as a defined benefit pension plan for child care workers. Initiate a bargaining process with child care workers in the province and their unions to negotiate improved wages and working conditions for workers across the sector.
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- Support the growth of public and not-for-profit child care spaces and maintain restrictions on for-profit expansion, eventually phasing out for-profit operators by converting them to not-for-profits. Allow the provincial government the first right of refusal before the sale of any for-profit child care centre. Make further use of public assets, like schools and universities, to house new child care services. Prioritizing public and not-for-profit provision in child care is critical for maintaining quality.
The Ford government has emphasized the need to “Protect Ontario” from the economic risks posed by U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariffs. Investing in early learning and care must be part of the plan to protect this province. The $10-a-day child care system has already delivered measurable benefits: increased labour force participation among mothers with young children, significant financial relief for families, improved wages for child care workers, and funding predictability for operators.
Now is not the time to turn back. It is time to strengthen and expand the $10-a-day plan to support workers, expand access, and give families the security they need in uncertain times. Canada’s wealthiest province must commit to bringing adequate funding to the table to support workforce recruitment and retention, expand public and not-for-profit spaces, and advance both affordability and quality.
