Toronto Child Care & Schooling

Child Care

If you have young children (newborn to 5 years of age) who are accompanying you to Canada and need child care, the City of Toronto has over 990 licensed child care centres – through 19 licensed home child care agencies working with over 2,000 approved home care providers at your disposal. To help guide your search for quality childcare, you may access their Child Care Locator, along with helpful resources on their website at:

https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/ children-parenting/children-programs- activities/licensed-child-care

For more information relating to childcare please see the link to University of Toronto’s Family Care Office’s website at:
http://www.familycare.utoronto.ca/

Child served by licensed child care range in age from infant to school age.

Infant: 0-18 months
Toddler: 18 months - 2.5 years
Preschool: 2.5 years - 5 years
Kindergarten: Junior and Senior
School Age: Grade 1 and up

Other Resources

https://familydaycare.com
Family Day operates child care/early learning programs (birth to 12 years), extended day/school age programs (6 to 12 years), and licensed home child care (birth to 12 years), as well as summer camp and family support programs, in Toronto, York and Peel.

http://childcaretoronto.org
The Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care (TCBCC) is a broadly based organization working to establish a comprehensive, high quality, universally accessible, non-profit, publicly funded child care system.

School for Children

If you are being accompanied by school-aged children to Canada, you will need to register them in school.
Every child residing in Toronto is allowed to attend school in the Toronto District School Board and can register anytime throughout the school year.
To find an elementary, intermediate, or secondary school nearest to you, please visit:

Toronto District School Board:
www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School

The Toronto Catholic District School Board serves more than 91,000 students in its 195 Catholic schools and represents close to 475,000 Catholic school supporters in Toronto in its role providing publicly-funded Catholic education for the Toronto community.
https://www.tcdsb.org/Pages/default.aspx

Approximately 12,000 students are enrolled in the 37 elementary schools and 14 secondary schools of the Conseil scolaire Viamonde, the only French- language secular school board in Central-Southwestern Ontario. 67 languages besides French are spoken in its schools.
https://csviamonde.ca

Le Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud serves over 17,000 students in 59 schools in Ontario, offering them elementary and secondary education in a francophone Catholic environment. https://www.cscmonavenir.ca

Elementary students:

If your child is aged 4 to 13 you can register them directly at their local neighbourhood school. You will be required to present the following items upon registration:

• Proof of age (such as a birth certificate or passport)
• Proof of address (two pieces of identification that show your address, such as credit card statement or lease agreement or a utility bill)
• Verification of date of arrival, if your child was not born in Canada.
• Proof of Immunization (documentation showing a list of the vaccinations your child has received)

Please note the following for children entering kindergarten:

• To attend Junior Kindergarten in September, children must turn 4 by December 31 of that year
• To attend Senior Kindergarten in September, children must be turning 5 by December 31 of that year.

For more information about Kindergarten please visit TDSB’s website at: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/Kindergarten.aspx

High School (Secondary) Students:

To register for high school, all students between the ages of 14-20 should begin by visiting a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Newcomer Reception Centre. At the Reception Centre, new students will have their English language and mathematics skills assessed. This assessment will help schools offer them the supports needed as they begin studying in Canada.
All new secondary students must make an appointment with the Reception Centre by telephone (see phone numbers below). Students and their families must bring the following to their appointment:

• Appropriate legal documentation
• Two pieces of proof of current Toronto address (rental agreement, telephone bill, bank statement, driver’s license, or government document with current Toronto address)
• School documents from the student’s previous school, if available
• Proof of immunization, if available

There are two Newcomer Reception Centres. New students should access the location that is most convenient by calling to make an appointment:

West End Reception Centre
777 Bloor Street West, 4th floor
Toronto, ON (south side of Bloor St. at Christie subway station) 416-393-0542

Georges Vanier Reception Centre
3000 Don Mills Road East
Toronto, ON (Don Mills Road East, south of Finch) 416-395-9440

For more information and a map of Newcomer Reception Centres, please visit:
https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/0/Elementary/ESL/NewcomerBrochure_English. pdf

For additional details, please visit the TDSB website at:
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/New-to-Canada

Study Permits

In general, foreign nationals need a study permit to study in Canada. There are some exceptions. According to the website of Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/study-permits/guidelines-on-minor-children.html, minor children (in Ontario, persons under 18 years of age) who are already in Canada accompanying a parent who is permitted to study or work may study in Canada without a study permit at the pre-school, primary and secondary levels. Minor children at the pre-school and kindergarten levels are not required to hold a valid study permit.

For further information, please consult the IRCC website or your local Visa Application Centre (VAC) when you apply for a work permit.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Toronto will be your home away from home! Do you want to improve your English skills? The following programs offer newcomers to Canada with different levels of English instruction, advice and insight into Canadian culture and life.

• University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies https://learn.utoronto.ca/english-language-program
  The University of Toronto English Language Program helps those seeking to improve their English language abilities.
• Toronto Public Library - ESL & Newcomer Programs https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/programs-and-classes/categories/newcomer-esl-programs.jsp
  The Toronto Public Library offers free programs to help newcomers learn English and meet new friends. It also provides information on employment, housing, language learning, schools and other topics.
• Settlement.Org http://www.settlement.org
  Helps locate organizations in your community that provide many different kinds of ESL programs. They are created for people with different levels of English, and also offer private ESL programs.
• University of Toronto, Centre for International Experience (CIE) https://internationalexperience.utoronto.ca
  CIE offers the English Communication Program (ECP), a non-credit program that gives students the opportunity to develop their communication skills in English, gain insight into Canadian culture and life at the University of Toronto, and share cross-cultural experiences.
• Toronto District School Board (TDSB) http://www.tdsb.on.ca/AdultLearners/LearnEnglish/ESLPrograms.aspx
  Offers ESL classes in locations across Toronto for those seeking help to enhance their communication skills. Topics include conversation, citizenship, language proficiency, and family classes.