Federal childcare program falls far short as costs balloon

Despite its $35-billion price tag, the program is well behind in creating the promised number of 250,000 childcare spaces by March 2026.

Auditor General Karen Hogan wrote in her report that tracking of the program ‘did not offer a consistent and comparable view’ of new spaces, which may not be ‘equitably accessible to diverse or vulnerable families.’The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY PETER JON MITCHELL

October 23, 2025

It’s time for the federal government to admit the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program is failing Canadian families. Despite tens of billions of dollars spent since 2021, and an estimated $35-billion by March 2026, the program is falling short in delivering an...

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