Earlier this year, the federal government released the 2021 budget?including a promising new plan to cut child care costs in most provinces by 50% by the end of 2022. By 2026, the goal for provinces that embrace the new plan is to reduce the daily cost to just $10. This was no doubt a welcomed motion for parents nation-wide, especially those in the Toronto area who are spending upwards of $20,000 per year for each kid in child care.
But just how much can parents actually look forward to saving if the plan becomes a reality" New data from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) suggests families in some cities could hold onto more than $10,000 per year for each child by 2022 and almost double that by 2026.
The exact amount of savings depends on where families live and the age of each kid requiring child care, which is generally more expensive for younger children. Parents of babies and toddlers are likely to see the greatest savings. The interactive map below allows parents to choose their city and province as well as their child’s age group (infant, toddler or preschooler) to calculate an accurate projected savings amount according to their specific scenario. The tool also tells parents the cost per year for child care in the selected area in relation to the chosen age group. In total, the map features data on 37 cities across provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Yukon and Nunavut.

According to the CCPA, pare...