Child care use by low-income families in Canada, 2023
Description: Child care use by low-income families in Canada, 2023
Child care use by low-income families in Canada, 2023
In 2023, 41% of children five and under in low-income families attended a formal or informal type of child care, compared with 60% of children in families not in low income.
Parents of children living in low income were less likely to have difficulty finding care in their community, but more likely to have difficulty finding affordable child care.
| Difficulty finding… | In low income | Not in low income |
|---|---|---|
| Child care available in their community Note * | 26% | 34% |
| Affordable care Note * | 27% | 24% |
| Licensed care Note * | 12% | 17% |
| Qualified care provider Note * | 10% | 12% |
| Quality of care they desire Note * | 11% | 14% |
| Care that fits their work or study schedule | 13% | 14% |
Among children living in low income who were not in child care, 4 in 10 were not in child care because their parent chose to stay at home with them.
| Reason why parent did not use child care | In low income | Not in low income |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred to have a parent stay home with the child Note * | 43% | 32% |
| Cost too high Note * | 27% | 22% |
| Unemployed Note * | 20% | 7% |
| Among children in child care… | In low income | Not in low income |
|---|---|---|
| Had licensed child care as their main arrangement | 78% | 77% |
| Were in child care in the evenings and/or on weekends Note * | 17% | 11% |
About 6 in 10 children in child care attended a daycare centre, preschool or centre de la petite enfance (CPE), regardless of whether they were living in low income.
Note: Low-income status was determined using the low-income threshold for 2022, based on family size and before-tax family income adjusted for 2022 constant dollars.
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Early Learning and Child Care, 2023.
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