August 28th, 2025

The Region of Waterloo is investing $4.4 million in modular child care centres on Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) properties to create much needed child care spaces. This investment will be returned through a long-term affordable lease with not-for-profit child care providers. This follows direction from Regional Council in February 2024 to explore opportunities to create more child care spaces on public lands.

“Affordable, high quality child care is essential for our community as it grows,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “Modular child care centres can be built faster, are more affordable, and can be more easily placed at locations where child care is needed most.”
The two modular child care centres will go on WRDSB sites to be determined and will add 176 more child care spaces participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program by the end of 2026. Both sites will receive funding from the Province of Ontario and Government of Canada to support start-up and ongoing costs.

“The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is pleased to be working alongside the Region of Waterloo on this important initiative,” said Scott Miller, Director of Education. “We know that schools are at the heart of our communities, and by locating modular child care centres on school properties, we are making child care more accessible for families. This innovative model of locating modular child care on public lands not only strengthens our schools as community hubs, but also ensures families in priority neighbourhoods will have improved access to the seamless, high-quality child care they need.”

There are currently over 13,400 children on the wait list for licensed child care, with 8,700 looking for care immediately. The Province of Ontario has allocated Waterloo Region 4,136 new CWELCC child care spaces to grow between 2022 and 2026. These new modular centres are one way the Region is creating those much needed spaces.

For more information on how the Region is working to add more licensed child care spaces throughout the community, please visit the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care page.