Fee Refund and Reduction

Age Eligibility for Fee Reduction:

Children under the age of six (or turning six before June 30) in licensed child care programs that are approved to participate in the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CWELCC) System serving eligible children.

Licensed Child Care Eligibility

Program Application Eligibility:

  • Licensed child care centres
  • Non-profit and for-profit/commercial operators with or without an existing service agreement, and/or,
  • Licensed home child care agencies
  • Full-time, part-time programs and 10-month programs

All unlicensed child care and authorized recreational programs, as well as extended day programs, are ineligible to participate in CWELCC.

In order to participate in CWELCC, agencies must:

  • Submit an ‘Opt-in’ form through the Opt-in (CWELCC Application, Revised August 2022), as well as any other required documentation, by November 1, 2022
  • Continue to freeze fees as of March 27, 2022, for eligible aged children
  • Maintain existing (as of March 27, 2022) licensed/operating capacities for children ages zero to five (e.g. a licensed infant space must remain an infant space). Any revisions or use of alternate capacity must be reported to City of Windsor Children’s Services so it can be determined whether this change may result in a funding adjustment or recovery from the licensee.
  • Complete the annual Licensed Child Care Operations Survey, as required under section 77 of O. Reg. 137/15 in order to continue to receive funding under the CWELCC system
  • Access the Wage Enhancement Grant (WEG) when applicable

Once approved, agencies are required to:

  • Sign service agreement for CWELCC with the Corporation of the City of Windsor
  • Within 20 days of approval by the City of Windsor, distribute fee refunds/rebates to families retroactive to April 1, 2022
  • Track and maintain clear records of refunds/reductions
  • Bring the wage of all eligible RECE staff up to the ‘wage floor’ in the guidelines

How is the 25% fee refund calculated?

  • The refund equals the fee multiplied by the number of eligible children served multiplied by the number of operating days served (since April 1, 2022) multiplied by 25%.
  • City of Windsor Children’s Services will calculate the refund/reduction for fee-subsidy families based on their assessed fee and inform the child care operators.
  • The fee used to calculate the 25% refund/reduction is based on the fee that was paid and has been frozen as of March 27, 2022.
  • Non-base fee items must be excluded.

Tracking, monitoring and auditing the process

  • Operators are responsible for managing the refund/reduction process, including maintaining supporting documentation.
  • City of Windsor Children’s Services will develop and communicate a process to review CWELCC funding.