Childcare Centre

If you are buying or selling a licensed daycare centre within the City of Toronto that participates in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program, recent procedural changes at Toronto Children’s Services (TCS) will significantly impact your transaction timeline and cash flow requirements.
The City of Toronto will not begin its formal review of a new purchaser until the transaction is fully closed. This means the following must be completed before the City assesses if the CWELCC agreement can continue.

To many people entering the childcare industry, determining the “right” price for a daycare or school can feel like a total mystery. If you’ve started your research, you might have heard a dozen different metrics: $7,000 per seat, $10,000 per seat, $30,000 per seat, net profit percentages, or complex multipliers. It can sound like a lot of “mumbo jumbo,” but as a buyer, you need a grounded, logical formula to ensure you aren’t overpaying. In the professional business world, valuation isn’t a guessing game, it’s math.

Estimating Your CWELCC Funding. The CWELCC program provides an estimator tool to help childcare centres project their funding allocations. Please note that this estimator is specific to the 2025 CWELCC funding year. As the program evolves, updated estimators may become available in future years. This article will guide you through estimating your CWELCC funding and understanding the potential allocation your centre might receive.

When people decide to open a daycare, one of the very first questions is how they should do it. Should they do everything themselves? Should they hire a consultant? Or should they buy into a franchise?

Many operators assume that opening a childcare centre in a church is simple because churches are already community-oriented spaces. However, this is a misconception. Even if a church is willing to lease its space, the building must still meet municipal zoning requirements, Ontario Building Code standards, Fire Code rules, and Ministry of Education licensing criteria. While churches can make excellent childcare locations, they often come with unique challenges that operators need to understand before making a commitment.

Many childcare centres already operate inside heritage buildings. The challenge isn’t whether it’s possible, but how much flexibility you have to adapt the space. Heritage designation comes in many forms, and what you can or cannot change depends on the specific features that have been protected.

We include the year 2025 in this discussion because the CWELCC program may change in 2026, which could significantly affect how businesses are valued.
As of 2025, net profit under CWELCC is capped at 7.75%. This cap directly impacts business valuations, since profit is a key driver in determining the worth of a business.

This article details how a CWELCC daycare centre transition process goes for a share purchase agreement.

Starting a daycare business in Ontario comes with many options—and important decisions. Whether you’re opening a new centre, buying an existing one, or considering a franchise, understanding your eligibility for the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program is key. This visual guide breaks down the most common pathways for both non-profit and for-profit operators, highlighting licensing routes, CWELCC eligibility, required experience, and the level of difficulty. Use this chart to help identify which path fits your goals, qualifications, and region’s requirements.