November 6, 2026
Money, funding & audit notes that fit into a coffee break.
This week at a glance
No newly opened general CWELCC intake was verified this week. Toronto, Halton, Hamilton, Durham and Simcoe all remain closed to general new-space applications.
Toronto's 2027 funding guideline is out in draft form (updated September 2026). It is the first 2027 local guideline we have seen.
Funding certainty continues: the four-year Canada–Ontario extension (announced September 29) runs from March 31, 2027 to March 31, 2031.
Deadline alert: the Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow Grant closes tomorrow, November 4 at 5 PM ET, and Canada Summer Jobs 2027 closes December 3. See Funding you can apply for below.
Funding certainty, with a catch
Canada and Ontario announced a four-year extension on September 29. Ontario will receive nearly $12 billion in federal funding from March 31, 2027 to March 31, 2031. Ontario committed to keep average CWELCC fees at about $19 a day, capped at $22, until at least June 30, 2027. That fee commitment ends much earlier than the funding agreement, so avoid building a long-range budget on today's fee assumptions.
What it means for your daycare: the extension gives a longer funding horizon. It does not approve a new centre, allocate local spaces or reopen any municipal intake. Advocates, including the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, criticized the deal for setting no new expansion targets and no new wage commitments. Before you commit to a site or a hiring plan, get your service system manager's written confirmation of eligibility, available spaces and timing.
When are the guidelines coming? Where things stand
Region
Guideline status
Ontario (Ministry)
Cost-Based Funding Guideline files dated July 22, 2026 are posted, alongside the ministry's July 21 funding update.
Toronto
2027 TCS Funding Requirements Guideline posted as a DRAFT, updated September 2026, subject to change with provincial updates.
Peel
2026 centre and home-child-care guidance posted. Confirm which version your agreement uses.
Halton
2026 operator guidelines (April 2026) published.
Simcoe
2026 Cost-Based Funding Guidelines and Local Priorities Guidelines (June 2026) posted.
York
2026 eligibility and funding conditions document posted.
Wellington
2026 cost-based guidelines posted.
Hamilton
Our October 6 review found the 2026 local appendix still forthcoming. We did not re-confirm this week, so ask your consultant.
Application watch: has any region opened a window?
Short answer: not that we could verify. No general CWELCC enrolment or new-centre window was found open this week. A funding guideline is not an open application, so do not infer one.
Region
Current public position
Toronto
No centre intake planned for 2026. Staff are focused on existing expansion applicants finishing by the province's December 31, 2026 completion deadline.
Halton
Expression of interest ran August 5 to September 9, 2026 and is closed. The province has not committed additional spaces to Halton for 2026 or later years.
Hamilton
All community-based spaces and infrastructure funding are allocated. No new spaces are committed beyond 2026.
Durham
Region reports it has created the maximum spaces the ministry allotted. Growth is capped through the end of 2026.
Simcoe
General cycle closed. A June 23 update describes targeted, invitation-only prequalification. Confirm your invitation status.
Peel
Region page says no further application windows are planned for non-profit centre providers or licensed home child care agencies. The page is undated, so confirm with your Early Years Specialist.
Watch the calendar: new CWELCC spaces generally had to be licensed and open by December 31, 2026. Until regions receive new allocations under the extension, expect few or no general windows.
Deadlines: November 3 to December 1
Nov 4, 5 PM ET: Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow Grant (non-profits; see funding section).
Nov 6, noon: Durham monthly attendance. Durham's published rule is noon on the fifth business day of the month, which falls on Friday, November 6.
Nov 8: York Record of Attendance in OCCMS (published window is the 1st to the 8th). November 8 is a Sunday, so aim for Friday, November 6.
November, day TBD: Toronto 2027 Operating Information Online Form (OIOF). Listed as due in November with no specific day published. Ask your consultant for the exact date now.
Nov 15 to Nov 30: Toronto home child care monthly Expansion Form (existing agencies assigning homes to licensed capacity).
Ongoing: Toronto audited statements are due within four months of fiscal year-end.
Just outside the window: Canada Summer Jobs closes Dec 3 (11:59 PM PT); Vaughan Starter Company Plus closes Dec 4; the provincial deadline for expansion spaces to be open is Dec 31, 2026.
Recently passed: Durham's 2026 Emergency Funding applications were due October 30.
These dates come from public sources and earlier municipal notices. Check your agreement and operator portal for your own deadlines.
Headline: Three November checks before 2027 funding starts
With a new funding horizon announced, it is tempting to relax. Operators who get hurt are usually the ones surprised by paperwork and reconciliation, not by the headline funding.
1. Get your 2027 operating forms right the first time
Toronto's 2027 guideline is still a draft, and its OIOF is due in November. Submit using the draft, keep your working papers, and ask your consultant what happens if the final guideline differs.
2. Plan for year-end reconciliation now
Durham's 2025 process shows what to expect: a reconciliation template in mid-December, a February 28 due date, and repayment of any overpayment on notification. Keep restricted funding in a separate account and set aside a reserve so a repayment does not become a cash crisis. Reconcile enrolment, fees billed and collected, and subsidies by child each month.
3. Budget to June 30, 2027, not beyond
The fee commitment (average $19, cap $22) lasts to June 30, 2027, while the funding agreement runs to 2031. Build two scenarios for payroll and benefits, one with current funding and one with a modest shortfall. If staffing costs are your pressure point, ask your consultant about any in-year financial review process, since some regions allow reviews for non-discretionary cost pressures subject to funding availability.
This is an editorial diagnostic, not a promise of funding. For help reviewing your centre's numbers, email [email protected] with subject "Daycare Financial Review".
Funding you can apply for
These programs fit our daycare, non-profit and small business clients. Each was checked on its official site on October 29, 2026.
For daycares and non-profits
Canada Summer Jobs 2027. The federal government pays 50% of minimum wage for private employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees, and up to 100% plus employment costs for non-profits. Jobs run between April 19 and August 28, 2027, for youth aged 15 to 30. Applications close December 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. Apply on Canada.ca
CWELCC start-up grants for new licensed spaces. Centres can get up to $350,000 per 20 new spaces, and home child care up to $1,200 per space (maximum $7,200 per provider). These are run by your local service manager (for example York Region or Toronto), so deadlines vary. They are tied to approved expansion projects, and with most regions closed to new intake and a December 31, 2026 opening deadline for new spaces, this mainly applies to operators who already have an approval. Contact your service manager to confirm.
Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow Grant (last call). $50,000 to $200,000 a year for 2 or 3 years for registered charities and non-profits that are at least 2 years old. It closes Wednesday, November 4 at 5 PM ET, so this is a last call for anyone already preparing an application. Grant details
For all small businesses
Ontario Job Grant. Covers up to $10,000 per trainee for third-party training, and up to $15,000 when a small employer trains a previously unemployed new hire. Applications are accepted year-round. It suits RECE upskilling. Details
Vaughan Starter Company Plus. A competitive grant of up to $5,000 plus mentoring for Vaughan start-ups and small businesses. Deadline December 4, 2026. Details
Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan (Ontario Centre of Innovation). Up to $15,000 in matched support for a digital plan for Ontario businesses with 1 to 499 employees, first come, first served. Details
Canada Small Business Financing Program (loans). Through your bank or credit union, businesses and non-profits with revenue of $10 million or less can borrow up to $1.15 million for equipment, leaseholds and working capital. Details
Want help checking if you qualify or preparing your application? Reply to this email or call us at 905-707-0136.
Daycare marketplace
New and recently updated sale and rental leads
Listings checked for the November 6 edition. Advertised information is supplied by listing agents or property advertisers and is not independently guaranteed. Confirm availability, price, permitted use and licensing feasibility before proceeding.
FOR SALE — MARKHAM
2832 16th Avenue, Markham
A substantial institutional property currently operating as a private school is being marketed for sale at an advertised asking price of $9,480,000.
The freestanding property offers approximately 14,744 square feet on a 1.21-acre site. The listing highlights:
Multiple classrooms, private offices and flexible open areas.
An indoor gymnasium with basketball and badminton facilities.
Six renovated washrooms.
Two entrances and approximately 48 parking spaces.
A private executive office and additional amenities.
The listing identifies daycare as one of several potential uses, alongside educational and institutional uses.
Before proceeding: The property's existing school use does not establish that a daycare is permitted. Buyers should obtain written confirmation of zoning, permitted child care use, licensing feasibility, outdoor play requirements and any necessary change-of-use approvals.
FOR SALE — LONDON
482 Dundas Street, London
An opportunity to acquire a newly built-out childcare facility is advertised at $449,000.
The commercial listing describes approximately 4,000 square feet of purpose-built daycare space, including:
Five fully built-out classrooms.
An outdoor playground exceeding 1,000 square feet.
Furniture and equipment included in the sale.
An existing lease included as part of the transaction.
Proposed capacity of up to 77 licensed spaces, with Ministry approval described as being in its final stages.
The centre has not yet opened, giving a prospective buyer the opportunity to establish enrolment and operations.
Before proceeding: The advertised 77 spaces are not confirmed as finally approved licensed capacity. Buyers should obtain the Ministry's written approval status, confirm outstanding licensing conditions, review the lease and verify the actual opening requirements before making an offer.
FOR LEASE — LONDON
551 York Street, London
A mixed-use commercial property is being marketed for lease at approximately $16 per square foot annually.
The property offers approximately 9,479 square feet in total, with the space divisible into three main areas:
Approximately 2,930 square feet of renovated showroom space.
Approximately 2,930 square feet of second-floor office space.
Approximately 3,619 square feet of warehouse space with a truck-level loading door.
The listing identifies daycare centres as a permitted use under the advertised RSC2 and RSC4 zoning. The property also features two entrances, multiple washrooms, a kitchenette and convenient access to downtown London.
This may be worth investigating for an operator looking for a larger commercial location with flexible space requirements.
Before proceeding: Confirm which portions are actually available, whether the quoted rental rate is net or gross, additional occupancy costs, and whether the proposed daycare layout can satisfy provincial licensing requirements, including outdoor play space, accessibility, fire safety and washroom requirements.
BEFORE YOU SIGN
For any daycare purchase or lease, independently confirm:
Zoning and permitted child care use.
Licensing feasibility, age groups and potential licensed capacity.
Indoor space, outdoor play space, washrooms and accessibility.
Fire and life-safety requirements and any necessary renovations.
Rent, additional rent, lease options, deposits and landlord consent.
Existing liabilities, financial statements and enrolment, if buying a business.
Whether CWELCC participation can legally and practically continue after a change of ownership.
Important: A property advertised for daycare use is not necessarily a licensed child care centre. Buying a daycare business does not automatically transfer its child care licence or CWELCC participation. Confirm the applicable requirements with the regulator and local service system manager before relying on an advertised approval.
THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR DAYCARE?
We welcome confidential enquiries from owners
Are you considering retirement, selling an established centre, transferring your business or leasing a property suitable for child care?
We invite owners and commercial property representatives to submit opportunities for possible inclusion in a future edition.
Email: [email protected]
For a daycare sale, use the subject “Daycare Sale” and include:
Municipality and general location.
Licensed capacity and enrolment, if available.
CWELCC status.
Whether the premises are owned or leased.
Asking price and preferred timeline, if available.
Whether you consent to a future newsletter mention.
For a rental opportunity, include the approximate area, asking rent, lease terms, permitted use and details of any existing child care fit-out.
Please do not send confidential information about children or employees. We will seek permission before publishing an owner's details and will distinguish advertised claims from independently confirmed facts.
Coming Soon
Subscribe: Email [email protected] with subject “Subscribe – Ontario Daycare Circle” and your name, daycare and region. By requesting a subscription, you agree to receive the newsletter; you can unsubscribe by emailing us at any time.
Share + review: Forward this issue to another daycare owner. Tell us what helped, what we should cover next, or send a short review to [email protected]. Please say whether we may publish your words and name. Have a local deadline, available space or daycare story? Send the official link or listing details. Find your local source through the LEE CPA regional resource hub.
Have a local deadline, available space or daycare story? Send the official link or listing details. Find your local source through the LEE CPA regional resource hub