2026 professional learning funding application

The ministry is providing funding to support professional learning to improve recruitment and retention of the Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) workforce and other program staff, and to support the implementation of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System (CWELCC) agreement. This funding supports professional learning opportunities that build capacity of the early years and child care sector to support the provision of high-quality programs that align with How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years.

Funding may be used to offset expenditures incurred between January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. The deadline for applications is September 30th, 2026.

 Eligibility requirements:

• Program staff and supervisors in licensed child care centres that are enrolled in CWELCC or exclusively serving children aged 6 to 12.
• Home visitors and providers in home child care agencies that are enrolled in CWELCC or exclusively serving children aged 6 to 12.
• Program staff and supervisors in EarlyON Child and Family Centres.
• Non-program staff (such as cooks), management (such as executive directors), resource consultants, and authorized recreation and skill building program staff.

The approved funds may only be used by the service provider for:

• Release time/supply staff to support the participation of eligible staff in the professional learning day and/or mentorship programs.
• Wages and benefits for additional hours worked to participate in professional learning days (e.g., evening and/or weekend professional learning sessions).
• Costs associated with waiving parent fees on professional learning days.
• Costs associated with the development and implementation of professional learning resources and mentorship approaches.
• Travel costs (in accordance with the Ontario Public Service Travel Directive) to support attendance at professional learning opportunities (municipal policies pertaining to travel and accommodation may also apply if CMSMs/DSSABs choose to support expense claims above the thresholds set out in the Directive).
• Costs associated with hiring non-profit organizations and/or post-secondary institutions to develop and/or deliver early years professional learning for eligible staff.