Licensing Standards

Child Care Licensing

In Ontario, Child Care centres are licensed under the Day Nurseries Act by Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS). While the standards set out in Ontario's legislation are among the highest in North America, it is important to understand that a license does not necessarily mean a quality program. The existing legislation addresses items that affect quality such as staff/child ratios, physical environment, staff qualifications etc. However, these are still only minimum standards and do not include all the factors affecting quality. It will always be important for parents to assess the setting in which they place their children.

All licensed programs will have a poster in the centre describing the type of license and program. Centres that do not meet all licensing requirements will have a provisional license and this will be indicated by a yellow license display (regular license display is white). An MCYS brochure for parents, "Attention Parents: this centre does not meet all the requirements of the Day Nurseries Act", will help parents understand what the status of the centre's license means to their child's care.

MCYS publishes a number of other pamphlets to assist parents in choosing and using child care. They are available in several languages. These pamphlets are available by calling MCYS at 1-800-669-6658 or on the internet at http://www.children.gov.on.ca.

Information on the informal system is most often found through word of mouth or newspaper ads. The Ontario Early Years Centre may have information on the Informal System. Parents are encouraged to use the information provided here to assess the quality of informal child care they are considering, or to provide their caregivers with feedback and suggestions.

Child care should provide a quality service, a safe, nurturing environment, and promote the health and well-being of the child. Remember that each child care centre is different. It really is worth the time and effort to check around to find exactly what you want.

The following Day Care, Private Home Care and Nursery School Programs are licensed under the Day Nurseries Act.

How to Start Up a Child Care Centre or Private Home Child Care Agency

If you are interested in opening up a Child Care Centre or Private Home Child Care Agency, please contact the Ministry of Child and Youth Services at 905-665-030 or toll free at 1-800-722-1196, extension 531. You will be asked to leave a message with your contact information in order to be mailed an information package. If you require further information, please contact Diana Wood at extension 400 at either of the above numbers.