Can an Ontario Daycare Charge a Waitlist Fee or Deposit?

The waitlist rule in plain English

Ontario Regulation 137/15 says no licensee may charge or collect a fee or deposit for placing a child on a waiting list for admission to a child care centre or home child care agency. The licensing manual explains the intent: parents should not have to spend money just to get onto a waitlist.¹²

That rule is specifically about licensed child care centres and licensed home child care agencies. If you are not sure what type of provider you are dealing with, ask whether the program is licensed, ask for the agency name if it is home child care, and check the provider's status before treating the fee request as routine.⁶⁵

Waitlist fees are not the same as enrolment fees

Ontario's licensing manual makes an important distinction: waitlist fees are not the same as enrolment or registration fees. A waitlist is for families who want a spot but do not have one yet. Enrolment fees can only be charged once the licensee offers a secure spot for the child.²

That means the practical question is not simply, 'Can they charge me?' The better question is, 'What exactly is this payment for, and has a secure spot actually been offered?'

• If the payment only gets your name onto a list, treat it as a waitlist fee question.¹²
• If a spot has been offered, ask whether the payment is a registration fee, deposit, first-month payment or another fee type.
• If the explanation changes between email, phone and paperwork, pause before paying and ask for one written summary.

What to ask before you pay anything

Ontario tells parents to ask providers about space, waiting lists, CWELCC participation, total cost and additional fees. The parent handbook is also supposed to give parents considering enrolment clear information about fees, payment policies, refund rules and closures.⁵³

Ask for those details before you send money. A provider may be legitimate and still have a policy that does not fit your household, especially if fees are not refundable or if closure and withdrawal rules are stricter than you expected.

• Is this payment connected to an offered space, or only to joining a list?¹²
• What is the exact fee type: registration fee, deposit, first payment, application fee, late fee or something else?⁵⁴
• Is it refundable if the start date changes, the centre withdraws the offer or our family declines?³
• Is the program enrolled in CWELCC, and are there any non-base fees we should expect?⁵⁴
• Can you send the parent handbook or fee policy before we pay?³

How CWELCC changes the fee conversation

For licensed programs enrolled in CWELCC, Ontario distinguishes between base fees and non-base fees. The province's provider guidance says base fees include required parent fees for things the provider must supply under child care law, along with mandatory fees such as registration fees or deposits. Non-base fees are for optional items or services, such as transportation, field trips, late fees or non-sufficient funds fees.⁴

For parents, the useful takeaway is simple: do not compare only the headline daily fee. Ask which fees are base fees, which are non-base fees, and whether any fee would still apply if your child does not start or if you withdraw before care begins.⁴⁵

If a fee request feels wrong

A confusing fee request is not proof that a provider is acting improperly. It is a reason to slow down and ask clearer questions. Start by asking the provider to identify the fee type and point you to the policy. If the answer still seems inconsistent with the waitlist rule, keep the written record and check the official Ontario guidance.¹²

If the concern is about whether a provider is following Ontario child care rules, Ontario says parents can make a child care complaint. That route is for concerns within the scope of the Child Care and Early Years Act and its regulations, so keep the issue specific: what was requested, when, by whom and how it was described.⁶

• Keep emails, invoices, screenshots and the fee policy in one place.
• Ask whether the provider is licensed and, for home child care, which licensed agency oversees the provider.⁶
• Avoid paying under pressure if the provider will not put the fee purpose and refund rule in writing.

A quick decision checklist

• No secure spot yet: a licensed provider should not charge just to put your child on the waitlist.¹²
• Secure spot offered: ask whether the payment is registration, deposit, first-month fee or another fee type.
• Before paying: ask for the parent handbook, payment policy, refund rule, closure calendar and CWELCC status.³⁵
• If the answer is unclear: ask for one written explanation before sending money.