Child Care Fee Subsidy

Child Care Fee Subsidy can help to pay for licensed child care and approved camps and recreation programmes for children up to age 13. Fee Subsidy is available at programmes who have a subsidy agreement approved by the County of Wellington.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for fee subsidy based on your need for child care and your family income.

 Need for care 

  • you are working (full time, part time, self-employed)
  • you are attending school or a training programme
  • you have a medical or family need that can be helped by your child attending child care
  • you have a child with a disability or special need and child care is recommended by the agencies working with your child

Family income

You need your income tax from the most recent tax year to apply for Subsidy.

Your share of the child care cost is based on your income tax Notice of Assessment (line 23600) and/or Canada Child Tax Benefit (family net income). 

Depending on your family’s income, fee subsidy may be able to help you with all or part of your child care costs.  Your share of the cost remains the same regardless of how much care you use.

Examples of Family's Monthly Share of the Child Care Cost

Family Income

Approximate Monthly Cost

Under $20,000

$0

$30,000

$83.00

$40,000

$167.00

$50,000

$417.00

$60,000

$667.00

$70,000

$917.00

$80,000

$1,167.00

$90,000

$1,417.00

$100,000 and up

Starting at $1,667.00

Please Note: You are not financially eligible for Subsidy when your family's share of the cost is more than the actual cost of child care.

Steps to apply for subsidy:

  1. Call the child care subsidy office - 519.837.3620 x3090 or 1.800.265.7294 x3090. Information about your family will be gathered and based on this we can tell you if your family may be eligible to apply for Subsidy.
  2. Find your child care space - look for a licensed child care programme, licensed home child care provider or authorized recreation programme that has a Subsidy Agreement with the County of Wellington. Options available are included in our child care listings. This listing can be found on our looking for child care page as well as our Find Child Care mapNote: We cannot guarantee that Subsidy funding will be available when care is found. Subsidy has a fixed budget and once fully committed a waitlist for funding is put in place.
  3. Contact the Subsidy office once you confirm a space and start date - you will be given the list of what information is needed to determine your eligibility and complete your Subsidy application. Once you send in all of the requested information, a Subsidy Worker will complete an appointment with you over the phone. If funding is available, payment for your child's care can begin as of the day your Subsidy application is completed. 

Our offices are currently closed to the public and all Subsidy applications are being done virtually. Once our offices reopen to the public, please let us know if you prefer to be seen in person rather than virtually. 

Interpreters are available to support the application process as needed.

Documents needed for Subsidy

The Subsidy office will let you know what documents are needed in order to confirm your eligibility for Child Care Fee Subsidy.

Your most recent tax year information is always needed, therefore make sure you file your taxes on time. The tax documents we must use are the Notice of Assessment (document issued by Canada Revenue Agency once your taxes are reviewed by them) or Canada Child Tax Benefit Notice (available July each year).

Other documents often needed are your Letter of Employment and paystubs, school registration, confirmation of address, custody papers, parent and child identification. 

© 2023 County of Wellington, 74 Woolwich St. Guelph, Ontario N1H 3T9, T 519.837.2600, TF 1.800.663.0750, F 519.837.1909