Help with Child Care Costs

The fulltime, year-round child care program has a daily fee attached to each toddler and preschooler’s space. The fees are set by the City of Ottawa. The fees are not determined by the OICC. For iinformation on how to apply for financial assistance, please click here.

The first step — finding a space

From the City of Ottawa’s website, this waiting list program has been mandated by the City of Ottawa to manage the Child Care Centralized Waiting List for all Licensed Child Care Centres and Home Child Care Agencies within the City of Ottawa boundaries.

From here, you may register your child for a Child Care Subsidy, in 1 of 3 ways:

  • Download an application form and mail or fax the completed form to Child Care Information
  • Phone 613-248-3605 for a registration form, or have a counsellor assist you with the registration process, or
  • Complete the on-line registration process.

When filling out the forms, take care to fill in all the information of your family, giving your contact information, and under “Special Requirements” identify yourself as an “Aboriginal Applicant”.

The Tumiralaat Child Care Centre is located in Ward 12.

It is then important to call/email Bea, the child care coordinator, at 613-744-3133, ext 213, to ask if there are any available spaces for your child(ren). There is a separate OICC registration package that will need to be filled out at the Centre.

If you have been told by Bea that there is an available space for your child(ren)–then you may contact the Child Care Subsidy office for possible partial or full subsidy assistance–depending on your income. Our child care spaces are full-time–5 days-a-week, year-round.  The cost of this child care is set by the City, not by the OICC.

The second step — once the coordinator has confirmed a child care spot, applying for Subsidy

City Services, dial 3-1-1,
look at the City’s website: ottawa.ca,
or telephone 613-580-9696

To determine if you qualify for a child care subsidy, you must meet these

3 criteria:

  • You must live in the City of Ottawa
  • You must be working, looking for work, or attending school during hours when your child would be in child care. If you or your children have special needs (medical, emotional or social), you may also qualify.
  • You are either receiving financial assistance through the Ontario Works (OW) program or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Alternatively, you are in financial need, dependent on your most recent Income Tax Federal Notice of Assessment or Canada Child Care Tax Benefit notice.

The among the documents you’ll be required to bring to the City Subsidy Office is your most recent:

  • Pay stubs for your current year’s earning including your last pay received.
  • The current year’s Revenue Canada’s Notice of Assessment.
  • Proof of a 20% or more drop of income in comparing the previous year’s income to the current year’s income.

Click on this link to access the Subsidy Calculator on the City of Ottawa’s child care site to test your household income and your possible qualification for financial assistance by the City.

To book an appointment, call 613-580-9696.  The interview process will take about 30 minutes.  During the interview, the case coordinator will determine if you qualify for a subsidy; and the monthly fee you may require to pay to the Tumiralaat Child Care Centre.

Papers needed for the interview

  • Identification such as birth certificates, passports, baptismal certificates
  • Income such as the Federal Notice of Assessment or the Canada Child Care Tax Benefit Notice
  • School registration along with time schedules and Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) assessment breakdowns
  • Proof of hours of work through pay stubs or a letter from the employer stating hours of work
  • Verification of address in the city and displaying your name on a lease or rent documents, utilities receipts

The third step — knowing your parental responsibilities

  • Child Care fees are paid monthly to the Tumiralaat Child Care program
  • Report changes in your family, such as a new job, an increase or decrease in income, leaving a job or school, changes to living situation, marital status, and changes in your address or telephone
  • Attend the yearly subsidy review. A notice is sent through the mail, and a response is needed immediately.
  • Each subsidy space is allowed a total of 36 days of holidays and absences commencing in January of each year. A child starting in July will only have an 18 day allowance for the remainder of that calendar year. Basically, your child may be absent an average of 3 days a month. If your child is absent more than the allowable days, you will be required to pay the full cost of the child care space to the Child Care program.
  • Notify your child’s leave from a program. You must give a minimum of 10 days notice to the Child Care program and to the Subsidy Office if your child will stop attending the day care or if he will be transferring to another day care. If you do not give the proper 10 days notice, you will be responsible for the full fee.