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Is my community a child care desert? New map shows availability across Canada

New research shows that child care availability in Canada has a long way to go

May 16, 2023

1-minute read

While Canada has made huge strides in reducing childcare costs through the federal $10 per day child care program, child care providers still don't have enough available spaces almost anywhere in the country. Nearly half of younger children live in “child care deserts,” which means an area with more than three children (who aren't yet in kindergarten) for every licensed child care space.

Click here to read the full report

We’ve mapped where the deserts are. The results are stark—other than Quebec and Prince Edward Island, all the Canadian provinces are coated in a sea of red, which indicates child care desert status.

Where does your community fit? You can explore the map below. Hover over a postal code to see a breakdown of how many children are in the area, compared to how many full-day licensed spaces are available. In the tool below the map, you can enter your postal code to jump straight to the numbers in your community.

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