Quebec converts 313 daycare spots to reduced-rate fees in Laval as part of province-wide expansion
A total of 313 unsubsidized daycare spots in Laval will be converted to subsidized places at a daily rate of $9.65, according to an announcement made on July 16 by Quebec’s Minister of Family, Catherine Blouin.
Seven daycares in Laval were selected through a provincial call for projects. The conversions are set to take place gradually between October 2026 and March 2027, allowing children to remain in their current facilities while their families gain access to the reduced rate.
Seven Laval daycares selected
Six of the facilities will become subsidized daycares (garderies subventionnées), a category in Quebec’s childcare system where private operators receive government funding to offer reduced-rate spots. They are Garderie Lumineuses énigmes, Jouer c’est apprendre, Garderie Le Royaume des Petits Cœurs, Garderie la planète des petits écolos, Garderie L’univers des Petits Cœurs and Pouponnière garderie Jenna.
One facility, Les Petits explorateurs Ste-Do, will become a partner of CPE La Giboulée. CPEs (Centres de la petite enfance) are non-profit, government-funded early childhood centres that form the core of Quebec’s subsidized childcare network.
A province-wide initiative tied to the 2026–2027 budget
The Laval conversions are part of a broader provincial effort that will see 5,011 unsubsidized spots converted across Quebec. Of those, 74 daycares will become subsidized facilities and eight will be converted into CPEs, according to the press release.
The government said the conversions were initially announced as part of the 2026–2027 provincial budget and referenced during Premier Christine Fréchette’s inaugural speech in April. Combined with previous rounds, the minister said the province has now added close to 54,000 reduced-rate spots to its childcare network since the launch of what the government calls the “Grand chantier pour les familles,” a large-scale childcare expansion plan.
Local representatives welcome the announcement
Christopher Skeete, MNA for Sainte-Rose and Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, said the announcement responds to a real demand for affordable childcare in Laval. He noted that the measure would also allow children to continue attending their current daycare.
Céline Haytayan, MNA for Laval-des-Rapides, expressed a similar view, calling the conversion good news for local families.
Valérie Schmaltz, MNA for Vimont, said access to affordable, quality childcare is essential, drawing on her own experience as a mother whose children attended a CPE.
What this means for Laval families
Parents whose children currently attend one of the seven selected daycares will see their daily fees drop to $9.65 once the conversion takes effect. The process is designed so that children remain in their existing facility rather than being moved to a new one. The government did not specify how many children in each daycare would be affected or whether waitlists at converted facilities would change.
