Families now benefiting from $10-a-day daycare program in eastern Ontario

Many young families across Ontario will start seeing big cheques arrive in the mail as the rebates for the federal government's $10 a day child care program begin.

The deadline for child care providers to opt into the program, formally known as the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system, came and went Nov. 1 after the government extended the original deadline from Sept. 1.

The Pakenham Community Early Learning Centre was the first daycare in Lanark County to register for the program, announcing their intent to do so in April.

"We have a crazy waitlist right now of parents trying to get in, predominantly because of the reduced fees," said Steven Beecraft, President of the board of directors at the Pakenham Community Early Learning Centre.

"Honestly, I think it was a no-brainer for us," he tells CTV News.

Lanark County says 28 out of 30 licensed child care providers have opted in. The city of Ottawa say 94 percent of daycares have also enrolled in the program.

"We're not just tweaking child care, we're completely transforming the way child care is delivered and how it's accessible and affordable for parents," says Chelsey Coe, the early year's specialist for Lanark County.

For participating child care providers, daycare rates were reduced 25 per cent Oct. 1. Rebate cheques retroactive to April 1 are being sent out to parents with children 6-years-old and under who were enrolled with participating providers.

Rates will drop by another 25 per cent on Jan. 1. The federal government aims to have an average rate of $10-per-day per child in place by September 2024.

Matthew McKenna is a parent of a 2-year-old and 4-year-old and says he paid about $1,000 per month before the rate reduction. He just received his rebate cheque.

"The rebate was around a little north of $2,000 which is a nice little perk, and as I say the timing is nice around the holidays as well," the parent of a child at the Pakenham daycare said.

"That 25 per cent reduction on our monthly bill is something that we definitely are feeling, just to have that extra cushion."

With daycare rates now becoming more affordable, Lanark County says they are anticipating a surge in families seeking licensed child care, and are already looking to hire more early childhood educators.

"We're anticipating it," says Coe.

"Nothing has happened that's a boom just yet, but we're anticipating as the system comes into play."