Children’s Services
Welcome to Children’s Services in the Rainy River District
The early years are important. A child’s brain and body develop very quickly in the first years of life. The experiences children have in early childhood have a lasting effect on their health and well-being.
We are committed to providing programs and services that enhance opportunities for early childhood development and that support healthy families. We achieve this by working with community partners to invest in and promote an affordable, accessible, responsive, and high quality early years system.
The District of Rainy River Services Board has responsibility for the District’s family resource, early learning, and child care system for children from birth to 12 years of age which includes the following:
- Child Care Fee Subsidy
- Licensed Early Learning and Child Care
- Special Needs Resourcing
- Provincial Child Care Wage Enhancement Grant
- Child and Family Centres
- Early Years Community Planning and Knowledge Mobilization
- Planning and Service Coordination Tables for Children and Families
NEW – Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CWELCC)
The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (CWELCC) is an agreement between the Ontario and Federal governments with the intent to:
- give families access to more affordable and high-quality child care options
- help lower child care fees for parents of children five years of age and under
- increase child care spaces
- support the early years workforce.
Families with children aged 0-5 in licensed child care settings will see financial relief through reduced parent fees with $10/day average fees by September 2025. Find out more about what the new agreement means for families and the child care workforce here.
Effective December 31, 2022, child care rates were reduced by 50% on average to a minimum of $12 per day at participating licensed child care centres.
As of January 1, 2025, parents of children attending a CWELCC enrolled child care centre, pay no more than $22 per day for children under age 6.
In addition to CWELCC, the Ontario Child Care Fee Subsidy Program continues to be available for eligible families for further financial support. The amount a family pays depends on your family’s income test and your child’s age. For more information on fee subsidy visit the Get Assistance With Child Care Fees page on our website.