Local service guide
Childcare in Laval: Fees, Registration and Choices
Arrange Childcare in Laval by separating preschool care, school-day coverage and summer care before comparing providers. For preschool care, register through Québec’s childcare admission portal and check each provider’s permit or home-care recognition. Eligible families with a subsidized place pay CAD 9.65 per day in 2026. For school-age care through the Centre de services scolaire de Laval, contact your child’s school. Before accepting care, visit, confirm the hours you need and review the written agreement. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Choose the care setting and schedule first
Québec distinguishes CPEs, private garderies and recognized home childcare. CPEs offer reduced-contribution care. Private garderies can offer subsidized places or set their own non-subsidized fees. Recognized home childcare operates in a private residence, and most of these services offer subsidized care. Ask which arrangement applies to the specific place your child would occupy. [3]
Write down your child’s age, desired start date, arrival and pickup times, and required days. Include the time you need to travel between care and work. Ask about language use, meals, naps, allergies, medication and support needs before scheduling a visit. Keep a separate list of gaps such as evenings, school holidays and caregiver absences.
Some educational childcare services offer evening, overnight or weekend care, according to Québec’s service guidance. Use the provincial interactive map to investigate those schedules, then ask the provider to confirm hours and availability for your child. [3]
Compare the written fee with your household budget
Québec sets the 2026 subsidized contribution at CAD 9.65 per day and indexes it each January. The contribution includes up to 10 consecutive hours of educational care, scheduled snacks, a meal appropriate to attendance hours and educational materials. Eligibility conditions apply; ask the provider which documents you must supply. [1]
Subsidized providers may charge specified extras, including certain optional outings, personal hygiene items, additional meals, care beyond 10 hours and late pickup. They need your written consent for additional charges. Ask for an itemized fee schedule and distinguish extra care hours from pickup after closing. [1]
Non-subsidized providers set their own fees. Québec explains that financial assistance depends on family income and circumstances. Request the gross amount you must pay, then use the childcare-cost calculator referenced on the government fee page to estimate your household’s net cost. Keep those two amounts separate when checking affordability. [1]
Prepare for a place offer before it arrives
CPEs and subsidized garderies fill places through the provincial portal’s referral process. Non-subsidized garderies and educational home childcare providers can choose children from their client reserve, but must admit children registered in the portal and confirm admissions there. Keep your requested schedule, start date and provider choices accurate. [2]
For CPE and subsidized garderie offers, Québec describes a three-day window for an optional visit after the first call, or a required visit opportunity within five days. Parents then have two days after the visit or the applicable window to accept or decline. Shorter deadlines apply to some near-term openings. Ask for your exact deadline when the provider contacts you. [2]
Declining an offered place generally removes your child from that provider’s waiting list and loses the accumulated seniority there, subject to exceptions. Review your choices before an offer arrives. Remove providers whose location or hours you would not accept, and ask about the applicable exception before relying on one. [2]
Check the provider before signing
CPEs and private garderies need a ministère de la Famille permit. Québec requires recognition by a coordinating office for childcare in a private residence, except when care covers only two children or children who ordinarily live together. Ask a home provider to identify its coordinating office or explain the exception it relies on. [3]
For installation-based CPEs and garderies, Québec’s interactive map provides inspection results from the preceding five years for permit renewal or complaint handling. Review the available reports and ask the provider to explain concerns and corrective steps. Québec also advises meeting educators and, for home care, asking who else may have contact with your child. [2]
During the visit, ask the caregiver to explain supervision, emergency response, authorized pickup and communication with parents. Describe your child’s needs using concrete examples. Before signing, read the attendance days and hours, fees, closure arrangements and cancellation terms. For a sitter in your own home, request references, discuss first-aid training and agree on duties and emergency contacts.
Historical immediate childcare demand in Laval and nearby regions
Local details that affect your job
School care starts with the child’s school
For a new student in the Centre de services scolaire de Laval, the school sends registration information when appropriate; families can also contact their neighbourhood school. If your child already attends but has never used school care, contact the school they attend. Returning families use Mozaïk Parents for re-registration. The published March 30 to April 10, 2026 window has passed, so ask the school’s childcare technician about your current request, hours and fees. [4]
Municipal summer care requires a separate plan
Laval’s 2026 municipal camps ran from June 29 to August 14. Regular camps served Laval residents aged 6 to 12, with activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and optional care from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Residents could choose any sector, subject to availability. For next summer, compare the published camp weeks with your required coverage and confirm the new season’s schedule. Do not assume school care continues through the summer. [5]
Discuss summer support needs before registration
Laval’s 2026 offer included an integration stream for residents aged 6 to 12 with disabilities or particular needs, and Campgourou for residents aged 6 to 17 with disabilities. The city assessed applications and assigned available weeks; requesting all weeks did not guarantee receiving them. Ask the camp team which program fits your child and arrange backup coverage for weeks they cannot confirm. [5]
Choose your first registration route
| Need | Option to investigate | First step | Confirm before accepting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool reduced-fee care | CPE or subsidized garderie | Register and select providers in the provincial portal | Eligibility, offered hours and permitted extras |
| Preschool care with provider-set fees | Non-subsidized garderie | Contact providers and register in the provincial portal | Gross fee and estimated household net cost |
| Preschool care in a residence | Recognized home childcare | Contact the provider and register in the provincial portal | Coordinating office, subsidy status and household contacts |
| Care around school hours | CSSL school childcare | Contact your child’s school for a first registration | Schedule, fees and coverage on school closure days |
| Summer school-age coverage | Laval municipal camps | Check the next published season and prepare your Amilia family account | Age eligibility, assigned weeks and extended-care hours |
Your hiring checklist
- Write down age, start date, required days and realistic pickup times.
- Separate preschool, school-day, summer and occasional-care needs.
- Ask each preschool provider to identify its permit, recognition or applicable exception.
- Request an itemized written fee schedule and confirm the offered place’s subsidy status.
- Keep your admission preferences accurate and prepare questions for a place offer.
- Visit, meet the caregiver and discuss your child’s support and emergency needs.
- Read the agreement and arrange backup care before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does all private daycare cost CAD 9.65 per day?
No. The 2026 reduced contribution applies to subsidized places for eligible families. Private garderies can offer subsidized or non-subsidized care; non-subsidized providers set their own fees. Confirm the status of the place offered to your child. [1] [3]
Can I contact a home daycare without using the portal?
You can contact an educational home childcare provider directly, but Québec requires your child to register in the portal before admission. The provider must also confirm the admission through the portal. [2]
Does a waiting-list position tell me when care will start?
The portal provides an approximate rank among children in the same age bracket. Providers cannot predict the next referral for a CPE or subsidized garderie. Keep backup arrangements until you have an accepted place and agreed start date. [2]
Who should I contact for school care during the current year?
For schools in the Centre de services scolaire de Laval, contact your child’s school or its childcare technician. The published spring 2026 re-registration period has passed; ask the school how to proceed with your current request. [4]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.