Toddlers laughing

Child Care Fee Help (Subsidy)

The Regional Municipality of Durham's Child Care Fee Subsidy Program helps families, who live in the Durham Region, pay for licensed child care.

There is no waitlist for Child Care Fee Subsidy in The Region of Durham. Please complete the application form below, if you need your child to start care within the next three months and you meet the below criteria.

If you do not require care within the next three months, you may complete this application form
at a later date.

In order to submit an application for Child Care Fee Subsidy you must have secured a Child Care space at a licensed Child Care provider or approved recreation program.
If you have yet to secure a Child Care space, please click the following link for access to Child Care options Finding Quality Child Care - Region of Durham

How do I qualify for child care subsidy?

To qualify for Child Care Fee Subsidy, you must live in Durham Region and meet one of the following approved activities:

Be working.
Be going to school.
Have a special or social need (parent or child).
Receive Ontario Works (with a referral from your Ontario Works worker).

There are also financial criteria that must be met.

How do I get child care fee subsidy?

Fill out our application form to apply for the subsidy or contact us to complete an application by phone.

Application Form

Process

You will receive email communication from the Fee Subsidy team within two weeks of us receiving your application.

As instructed in the application, your Notice of Assessment or Canada Child Benefit Notice must be emailed to us separately, as part of your application.

To receive child care subsidy, you will need:

Identification (ID) for everyone in your family.
Revenue Canada Income Tax Notice of Assessment or Canada Child Tax Notice.
Proof of address.
Paystubs, a work letter, or school information showing a start and end date.
Special or social needs form.
Custody court order (if you have one).

Child care options and directory

Child care options are the parent's choice.

Our office has agreements with:

Licensed child care centres
Licensed home child care agencies
Some recreation programs

Watch the video below to learn how to use the Children’s Program Locator or Child Care Directory to find licensed care that meets your family’s needs.

Use the Child Care Directory or Children's Program Map to find licensed child care.

Child Care Directory Children's Program Map

How to keep your subsidy

Every year we review your application to keep your subsidy going.

You must tell us if there have been any changes in your life.

Please let us know if:

You stop going to work for any reason.
You stop going to school for any reason.
Your family members change (e.g. a spouse moves out or moves in).
You move or change your address or contact information (email or phone number).

See our Fee Subsidy Parent Handbook for more details.

There is no waitlist for Child Care Fee Subsidy in The Region of Durham. Please complete the application form below, if you need your child to start care within the next 3 months and you meet the below criteria. If you do not require care within the next 3 months, you may complete this application form at a later date.

The Region of Durham is committed to providing excellent customer service by ensuring a respectful, equitable and harassment-free workplace and space for employees and customers. The Region has adopted a Public Code of Conduct Policy which outlines expectations for appropriate behaviour by all individuals when interacting with Regional Staff, Members of Regional Council, and other patrons and users of Regional facilities and services. All customers and employees of the Region of Durham are entitled to a respectful and harassment-free environment at all of our facilities and public spaces.