Staff-to-child ratio

In Ontario, a child care centre’s licence sets its licensed capacity, and the ratio decides how many employees must be present to care for those children. A buyer meets the ratio when checking whether current staffing, enrolment and licensed capacity fit together under the rules of the province where the centre operates.

What the rules say

• Ontario: under s.8 of O. Reg. 137/15, a licensee must place children in the age categories in Schedule 1 and meet that schedule’s ratio of employees to children, maximum group size and proportion of qualified employees for each licensed age group, unless otherwise approved by a director. Subsections 8(3) and (4) set out exceptions for approved mixed-age grouping and for reduced ratios at certain times.
• Ontario: licensed capacity is the maximum number of children, in each age category, allowed in the centre at one time as set out in its licence (s.1).
• British Columbia: s.34 of the Child Care Licensing Regulation requires groups no larger than Schedule E permits and a ratio of employees to children no less than Schedule E permits, subject to exceptions in that section.

What to ask

Ask the seller for the current roster by age group and how the staffing plan meets the schedule at the enrolment the centre advertises. Ask the licensing office whether any director’s approval, such as Ontario’s mixed-age grouping, applies to the centre. See the Daycare buyer checklist and child care centre licence. This entry covers Ontario and British Columbia; check the rules where you are.