New analysis: Ontario’s $10aDay child care added an estimated $13.6 billion to GDP
A new economic analysis by Dr. Jim Stanford of the Centre for Future Work, published by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, finds that the expansion of $10aDay child care has already delivered major returns for Ontario, even while the system is still in its growth phase.
By 2024, the report estimates Ontario’s GDP was about $13.6 billion higher than it would have been without the child care expansion since 2019. The added economic activity generated roughly $2.25 billion in extra provincial revenue in 2024, slightly more than the province’s net contributions to early learning and child care, effectively making the program a net gain for the treasury.
The workforce effects are just as striking. Women’s labour force participation for ages 25 to 54 rose two full percentage points since 2019, adding about 66,000 workers, while more than 17,000 new jobs were created in the child care sector and average real wages for those workers grew 15 percent. Families have felt it too, with child care costs down about 35 percent between 2022 and 2026 and many Ontario families saving over 1,000 dollars a month.
Stanford notes that even a partial and uneven rollout has been an economic boon, and that the province is leaving billions in potential growth on the table by not meeting its targets.
