For many families across Halton, child care is part of everyday life.
It’s what helps parents get to work, children build confidence and social skills, and families stay connected to their community. But as Halton continues to grow, so do the challenges families and child care operators are facing.
That’s why we’re proud to launch our new Early Learning and Child Care Plan: 2026–2030, a roadmap focused on strengthening early learning and child care across our community over the next five years.
Here are five things you should know about the new plan:
1. More than 1,100 people helped shape the plan
Our Early Learning and Child Care Plan was built with direct input from families, educators, child care operators, school boards, Indigenous partners, and community organizations across Halton.
Through surveys, focus groups and community discussions, people shared what’s working, what isn’t, and where the biggest pressures are being felt.
The message was clear: families need child care that is affordable, easier to access, inclusive, and responsive to the realities of everyday life.
2. Child care affordability has improved — but demand is still growing
Since the introduction of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system in 2022, thousands of Halton families are paying lower child care fees.
Today, close to 20,000 child care spaces in Halton are supported through CWELCC funding.
But as one of the fastest-growing communities in Ontario, Halton continues to face strong demand for affordable child care spaces - particularly in fast-growing neighbourhoods.
One of the key priorities in the plan is continuing to advocate to our provincial and federal partners for additional child care funding and spaces that reflect the needs of local families.
3. The plan focuses on more than just spaces
Access matters but families and child care operators told us the conversation needs to go beyond simply creating more spaces.
The new plan also focuses on:
- Supporting early learning and child care environments that are inclusive, culturally responsive, and able to meet diverse developmental needs.
- Prioritizing fee subsidies and support for families who need it
- Strengthening the early childhood education workforce
- Improving coordination between programs and services
- Making the early learning and child care system easier for families and partners to navigate
The goal is to help create an early learning and child care system that works better for children, families, educators, and child care operators alike.
4. Early childhood educators are at the heart of the system
High-quality child care depends on the people who provide it every day.
But like many communities across Ontario, Halton continues to face workforce recruitment and retention challenges in the early learning and child care sector. Our ability to meet the growing child care needs of Halton families is dependent on a vibrant workforce.
That’s why the plan includes actions focused on workforce attraction, retention, professional learning, and leadership development across the sector.
5. This plan is about building a stronger system for the future
Early learning and child care supports children during the most important years of development but its impact goes far beyond the early years.
It supports workforce participation, strengthens communities, helps families stay connected to services, and contributes to Halton’s long-term economic competitiveness and social well-being.
Over the next five years, Halton Region will continue working with families, child care operators, educators, schools, Indigenous partners, community organizations, and other levels of government to help build a child care system that is:
- More affordable
- More accessible
- Of high quality
- More inclusive
- Responsive to community needs
- Sustainable for the future
Learn more
Read the full plan at halton.ca/earlylearning or download the 2026-2030 Early Learning and Child Care Plan (PDF file)!