Overview

It has been five years since the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) came into effect on August 31, 2015. It was designed to strengthen compliance, health and safety in child care settings across the province. As part of the Act, the Ministry of Education is required to conduct a review of the legislation within five years of it coming into effect.

We recognize that the ongoing efforts to promote physical distancing to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) have had a substantial impact on both parents and the child care and early years sector. The government also recognizes the integral role that child care plays in supporting families, especially when it comes to enabling parents to return to work, and to contribute to the economic recovery of the province.

The Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014

The Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) came into effect on August 31, 2015. This legislation replaced the Day Nurseries Act (DNA) and established new rules governing child care in Ontario.

The Act applies to:

  • licensed child care centres
  • licensed home child care agencies that oversee home child care providers
  • unlicensed (informal) child care

Outreach to families and child care stakeholders

On July 7, 2020, the Minister of Education announced the start of the review and encouraged families, educators and staff, and organizations to share their views through two online surveys available on the government’s website. The surveys were open for two weeks between July 7 and July 21, 2020.

In addition, the ministry invited sector partners to submit reports with their ideas on how to improve the child care and early years system.

The surveys and submissions were a valuable opportunity to hear from the public and sector partners about the successes and challenges within Ontario’s early years and child care system, and to inform future child care planning in the province.

Next steps

This report outlines the key actions the government will take to respond to feedback, including consulting on regulatory amendments and policy.