Child Care Providers
2020 Wage Enhancement Program
The 2020 Wage Enhancement grant will continue to support an increase of up to $2 per hour, plus 17.5 per cent benefits for eligible centre-based staff. To align with the salary and wages of the school-based ECE in the Kindergarten program, the current salary cap is increased to $27.75 per hour.
Eligibility for Wage Enhancement
All licensed child care centres are eligible to apply. Licensed centres or agencies created in 2020 are eligible to apply for wage enhancement in the year the program begins operation.
Full Wage Enhancement
To be eligible to receive the full 2020 wage enhancement of $2 per hour plus 17.5 per cent in benefits, staff must:
- Be employed in a licensed child care centre or agency;
- Have an associated base wage excluding prior year’s wage enhancement of less than $25.75 (i.e. $2 below the wage cape of $27.75); and
- Be in a position categorized as a child care supervisor, RECE, or otherwise counted toward adult to child ratios under the Child Care Early Years Act.
Partial Wage Enhancement
Where an eligible centre-based position has an associated base wage rate excluding prior year’s wage enhancement between $25.76 and $27.75 per hour, the position is eligible for a partial wage enhancement. The partial wage enhancement will increase the wage of the qualifying position to $27.75 per hour without exceeding the cap.
For example, if an RECE position has a base wage rate, excluding the previous year’s wage enhancement, of $25.90 per hour, the position would be eligible for wage enhancement of $1.85 per hour.
Ineligible Positions (Non-Program Staff)
- Cook, custodial and other non-program staff positions are not eligible for wage enhancement funding.
- SNR-funded resource teachers/consultants and supplemental staff are not eligible for wage enhancement funding.
- The only exception to the above is if the position spends at least 25 per cent of their time to support ratio requirements; in which case the staff would be eligible for wage enhancement for the hours worked in the eligible position-supporting ratio.
- Staff hired through a third part (i.e. temp. agency) are not eligible for wage enhancement.
Supplemental Grant
The supplementary grant of $150 per each eligible centre-based FTE also continues in 2020. This grant must be used to support staff and provides operators with flexibility to cover salary shortfalls. The grant can be used to fund additional eligible staff and/or hours in program, vacation days, sick days, PD days and/or other benefits.
Application Process
Please complete the required information in the application, then print, sign and submit the application to Tina Johncox at tina.johncox@adsab.on.ca
The deadline for submissions is no later than January 20, 2020.
Please use the application on this site to apply.
Use of Wage Enhancement
Wage Enhancement funding must be paid to child care staff in addition to their standard wage rate as of January 1, 2020. It cannot be spent on any other child care program expenses. Wage enhancement funding that is not used for its intended purpose will be recovered by ADSAB.
More Information
Any questions regarding the Wage Enhancement Funding may be directed to Tina Johncox at: tina.johncox@adsab.on.ca