Re: Child care query
 

Paying a lot more does not necessarily ensure better care though.
I'm paying less but am totally secure in the fact that she is being very well looked after - in fact the person providing care was an ECE before she had her own family, and was recommended to me by a teacher who sent her own kids to her.

Re: Child care query
 

:unsure: Sorry don't know what those abbreviations mean?

Re: Child care query
 

TTC = Toronto Transit Commission = the common name of the general transit network in Toronto

GO = The commuter rail service in the GTA

Re: Child care query
 

Lots of people I know in Calgary pay immigrant live in caregivers to look after their children. When I ask them why they don't pay Canadians to perform such work the reply is almost always, "That would be far too expensive". They then go on to say how their little cherubs are the most important things in the world to them, as they plan an evening with their OH without the children.

The daycare centres downtown frequently walk around the +15 with an adult at the front of a line of little darlings dressed in orange t-shirts and an adult at the rear. I smile when I imagine how happy their parents must be to pay such an amount for their children to resemble Guantanamo inmates :rofl:

Re: Child care query
 

Ah thanks. :thumbup:
Do we know what city the OP is in?
Home day-care may not be for everyone but just putting it out there as an option - if you research properly then it can work very well.
We actually had our little one in a centre previously but we didn't like their regimented approach towards little kids.
Where she is now also acts as a second family to her, which is important too I feel when she doesn't have any other family in the country.

Re: Child care query
 

I worked the figures out on $60 a day over 52 weeks x 3 days x 2 kids. This is for the equivalent of nursery in the uk 8am-6pm

This is $18720 a year.

Re: Child care query
 

Where are you moving to? Childcare costs vary across the country. How old re your children?

This website will give you take home pay after deductions which should give you more of an idea of income you will have.....

Tax Take Home Pay Calculator for 2015.xls

Re: Child care query
 

I just took $60 as a ballpark figure from some research I had done. I'd expect costs to vary but at the moment we haven't fully decide.

The options just now are Toronto (20-25km from city) or Calgary, really depends on work opportunities. We would love to look at Vancouver but I cant see it due to cost of living and housing there.

My kids when we are aiming to move will be 3.5 and 1.5

Re: Child care query
 

In ontario, children go to kindergarten around age 4. Children born jan - dec 2011 will go to JK in September 2015 - so that is something else to condsider when looking at childcare. Some schools offer extended day programs at a fair cost.

We are in London ON and childcare costs for home day care seem to be around $35 per day. I am not sure about nurseries, but by googling you can probably get a better idea by calling a few. Nearer to Toronto would be more expensive - I have no idea about Calgary.

Re: Child care query
 

sorry what jk? What is the set up with Kindergarten is this school hrs 9-3, like preschool in the uk?

Home day care, so is that going to someones house, like a childminder in the uk

Re: Child care query
 

JK - junior kindergarten. School hours - ours was 9-330. It is not compulsory to send your children, but the option is there.

Home day care is just like childminder in the UK

Re: Child care query
 

Yeah we would need full day childcare to cover 8-5, or a wrap around service like they have in the Uk if nursery and preschool are in same catchment.

I haven't used home day care in the uk only nursery but I will look into it for canada also

Re: Child care query
 

Our school had a before and after school club - so we were covered from 730am - 6pm. It wasn't very expensive - and included breakfast before school and a snack after school. Check with the school boards in the areas you are looking at.

I used both childminder and nursery in the UK - only the after school club here though. I guess it all comes down to meeting the care providers and seeing which you feel most comfortable with and which will suit your family's needs better.