Research Outline

Market Analysis - Daycare, Ontario

Goals

Provide an overview of the daycare market and business opportunity in Ontario, Canada, including data points such as customer demographics, business financials (with real examples), regulation, market demand, etc.

Early Findings

  • The daycare market in Canada is estimated to be worth a total $9 billion, with over 40,000 operating businesses and a projected CAGR of 3.5%.
  • According to the Government of Ontario, there were 5,437 licensed childcare centers in the province as of 2018, with 427,032 available spaces.
  • Child care fees in Ontario range from $66 per day to $21 per day, with the highest fees for infants and the lowest fees for school-aged children.
  • Waitlists are very common at child care centers across Canada, and in Toronto an estimated 90% of child care centers maintain a wait list. The Government of Ontario estimates that there are only enough licensed child care spaces available for 21% of Ontario's children. Waitlist fees are common across Canada but they were banned in Ontario in 2016.
  • In Ontario, 43% of parents use child care. Of these, 19% use home daycare, 36% use daycare centers, and 32% use private care. About half of parents in Ontario rely on before and after school care programs for their school-aged children.