DATA REPORT · CANADA · SEPTEMBER 2026
Canada Childcare Waitlist Report: September 2026
In Ontario, 85% of centres report a waitlist but only 46% of licensed home providers do. Survey data 2022–2025, fees 2026, PEI registry September 2026.
By DaycareOnUpdated 3 min read
30.8%
Children not using care reported on a waitlist
Canada · 2025 · ages 0–5
Source56.5%
Waitlist prevalence among children under one not in care
Canada · 2025 · anticipatory registration is included
Source46%
Ontario licensed home providers reporting a waitlist, against 85% of centres
Ontario · April 2024 · the widest gap in Canada
Source| Indicator | Reported result | Population and period |
|---|---|---|
| Children outside care on a waitlist | 26.2% → 30.8% | Ages 0–5, not using care; 2023 → 2025 |
| Centres with an active waitlist | 77.3% | Providers serving ages 12 and under; April 8, 2024 |
| Licensed home providers with an active waitlist | 61.5% | Providers serving ages 12 and under; April 8, 2024 |
| Unlicensed home providers with an active waitlist | 38.4% | Providers serving ages 12 and under; April 8, 2024 |
Waitlists (2025) and daycare fees (2026) by province
On a waitlist, 2025
29.4%
Up 14.0 points since 2022 · 7th highest of 10 provinces
Centres with a list
85%
Licensed homes: 46%
Daily fee
$22
Preschool · infant $22 · about $477 a month
Canada, under 1 year
56.5%
Up from 37.8% in 2022. Age data is national.
Ontario: 29.4% of children aged 0–5 not in care were on a waitlist in 2025, up from 15.4%. Licensed homes report fewer lists than centres (46% against 85%), so they may be worth adding to your search.
Waitlist rates are not waiting times.
What stands out
Every provincial estimate went up. Newfoundland and Labrador (+21.3 points) and Nova Scotia (+19.7) rose most; Alberta (+6.5) and British Columbia (+7.2) rose least. Quebec is still the highest at 56.1%. In Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and Quebec the 2022 and 2025 confidence intervals overlap, so treat those rises as less certain. The measure counts families who registered early as well as those without care, so it cannot separate more unmet need from more families joining a list sooner.
Ontario: 29.4% in 2025 (95% CI 25.2–34), 15.4% in 2022 (13.2–17.9).
Right: change in points since 2022.
View the data as a table
| Province | 2022 (95% CI) | 2025 (95% CI) | Change, points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | 44.7% (39.6–50) | 56.1% (48.2–63.6) | +11.4 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 22.1% (17.3–27.7) | 43.4% (34.8–52.4) | +21.3 |
| Prince Edward Island | 34.7% (29.4–40.4) | 43.3% (33.9–53.3) | +8.6 |
| New Brunswick | 22.3% (18.2–26.9) | 39.1% (31.4–47.3) | +16.8 |
| Nova Scotia | 19.2% (15.4–23.6) | 38.9% (30.9–47.5) | +19.7 |
| Manitoba | 16.8% (13.1–21.2) | 32.1% (25.3–39.7) | +15.3 |
| Ontario | 15.4% (13.2–17.9) | 29.4% (25.2–34) | +14.0 |
| British Columbia | 20.5% (17–24.6) | 27.7% (21.9–34.4) | +7.2 |
| Saskatchewan | 15.2% (11.9–19.2) | 27% (20.8–34.3) | +11.8 |
| Alberta | 7.6% (5.5–10.5) | 14.1% (10–19.6) | +6.5 |
Age matters most
56.5% of children under one who are not in care are on a list, against 13.7% of four- and five-year-olds already in school. The figure includes families who registered before they needed a place. If you are expecting, that is a reason to register early.
Under 1 year: 37.8% in 2022, 46.9% in 2023, 56.5% in 2025.
No 2024 survey point. Ages 4–5 in school may reflect care around school hours.
View the data as a table
| Age group | 2022 | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 37.8% | 46.9% | 56.5% |
| 1–3 years | 16.7% | 24.6% | 26.3% |
| 4–5, not in school | 5.7% | 12% | 10% |
| 4–5, in school | 4.3% | 8% | 13.7% |
Price is not the whole story
You might expect the cheapest provinces to have the longest lists. Quebec fits, at $9.65 a day and 56.1%. But Saskatchewan also charges $10 and sits at 27.0%, and Alberta charges $15 with the shortest lists of all at 14.1%.
Ontario: 29.4% on a list; preschool fee $22 a day.
At $10 a day, shares range from 27.0% (Saskatchewan) to 43.4% (Newfoundland and Labrador). Across all ten provinces the link is weak (correlation −0.35).
View the data as a table
| Province | Preschool fee per day | Infant fee per day | On a waitlist, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $10 | $10 | 43.4% |
| Prince Edward Island | $10 | $10 | 43.3% |
| Nova Scotia | $22 | $23 | 38.9% |
| New Brunswick | $16 | $19 | 39.1% |
| Quebec | $9.65 | $9.65 | 56.1% |
| Ontario | $22 | $22 | 29.4% |
| Manitoba | $10 | $10 | 32.1% |
| Saskatchewan | $10 | $10 | 27% |
| Alberta | $15 | $15 | 14.1% |
| British Columbia | $24–$42 | $28–$52 | 27.7% |
Centres and home providers
Ontario has the widest gap: 85% of centres report a list but only 46% of licensed home providers, a 39-point difference. Alberta follows at 25. A provider without a list is not necessarily a provider with an opening, because the survey counts lists, not vacancies. It is still worth asking.
Right: centres / licensed homes.
In PEI and New Brunswick the pattern reverses.
View the data as a table
| Province | Centres | Licensed home providers | Gap, points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 85% | 46% | 39 |
| Alberta | 68% | 43% | 25 |
| Nova Scotia | 97% | 76% | 21 |
| British Columbia | 79% | 75% | 4 |
| Quebec | 69% | 65% | 4 |
| Saskatchewan | 82% | 80% | 2 |
| Manitoba | 85% | 85% | 0 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 92% | 92% | 0 |
| New Brunswick | 85% | 92% | -7 |
| Prince Edward Island | 77% | 99% | -22 |
A closer look at one province
Prince Edward Island publishes a registry that records when families say they need care. 42% of the 1,685 children listed need it now, and Greater Charlottetown accounts for 34% of all entries. These are stated need dates, not time already waited, so the registry cannot say how long any family has actually been on a list.
- Need care immediately702 42%
- Within 6 months313 19%
- Within 1 year406 24%
- Over 1 year264 16%
By region
- Greater Charlottetown255 / 576
- Greater Summerside75 / 159
- North West Prince77 / 152
- Stratford and Area35 / 139
- East Prince56 / 136
- Francophone Centres56 / 129
- Three Rivers and Southern Kings40 / 104
- Cornwall and Area35 / 95
- North East Kings19 / 65
- North Central Queens23 / 44
- South West Prince19 / 32
- North East Queens6 / 29
- South Central Queens6 / 25
Dark: need care immediately. Light: all children listed. Stated need dates, not time waited.
View the data as a table
| Region | Children listed | Need care immediately |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Charlottetown | 576 | 255 |
| Greater Summerside | 159 | 75 |
| North West Prince | 152 | 77 |
| Stratford and Area | 139 | 35 |
| East Prince | 136 | 56 |
| Francophone Centres | 129 | 56 |
| Three Rivers and Southern Kings | 104 | 40 |
| Cornwall and Area | 95 | 35 |
| North East Kings | 65 | 19 |
| North Central Queens | 44 | 23 |
| South West Prince | 32 | 19 |
| North East Queens | 29 | 6 |
| South Central Queens | 25 | 6 |
What providers publish about waits
Vancouver’s VSOCC lists waits of one to three years depending on program. UBC reports two to two-and-a-half years for toddler care. These are provider estimates, not citywide averages.
A list can matter even after you find care
23.6% of children already in care were also on a waitlist in 2025, up from 16.7% in 2022. Half of parents using care said finding it was difficult.
Planning a return to work
Start from the date and schedule you need. Ask each provider about availability, application dates and priority rules, and track your registration date separately from your start date. Set a backup decision date around your leave and budget.
FAQ
- What is the average daycare wait time in Canada?
- The sources reviewed do not establish a comparable national average in months from application to a usable offer. Statistics Canada measures the share of children reported on waitlists; Prince Edward Island separately publishes families’ stated need dates for its own registry.
- Which province has the longest daycare waitlist?
- Statistics Canada estimated that 56.1% of children aged 0–5 not using care in Quebec were reported on a waitlist in 2025, the highest provincial point estimate. This is waitlist prevalence among non-users, not the longest wait in months; compare the confidence intervals and provincial context before drawing conclusions.
- What percentage of infants are on daycare waitlists in Canada?
- In 2025, 56.5% of children under one who were not using child care were reported on a waitlist. Many families register in anticipation of a later start, and Statistics Canada cautions that the under-one sample composition varies across cycles.
Sources
- Statistics Canada Table 42-10-0106-01: Waitlists by province and age · Checked
- Centre for the Study of Living Standards: 2026 child care access analysis and provincial estimates · Checked
- Statistics Canada Table 42-10-0063-01: Provider profiles by province, April 2024 · Checked
- Prince Edward Island: Early Learning and Child Care Registry, September 2026 · Checked
- Statistics Canada: published 2023 and 2025 waitlist chart · Checked
- Statistics Canada: Child care arrangements, 2025 · Checked
- Statistics Canada: Canadian Survey on the Provision of Child Care Services, 2024 · Checked
- VSOCC: waitlist and enrolment guidance · Checked
- UBC Vancouver: while you are on the waitlist · Checked
- Employment and Social Development Canada: February 5, 2026 committee briefing · Checked
