Daycare designations – Not child’s play

In February 2024, we learned via the news media of possible changes happening at Le Petit Chaperon Rouge, a Francophone daycare centre in Toronto that appears in Ontario Regulation 398/93 as a government agency designated under the French Language Services Act. One of the centre’s locations was reportedly planning to close its doors.

We took steps to reach out to the agency, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Francophone Affairs for more information about the agency’s compliance with the FLSA. At the same time, we received complaints about the potential closure of the daycare location.

Many of the complainants were emotional about the prospect, telling us they feared spots for children in Francophone daycare centres (which are often difficult to get) would dry up. They also talked about how important learning French is for children under five in families of mixed linguistic backgrounds, their children’s specific needs, and the announced closure’s impact on them and the community. Some were newcomers to Canada who said the daycare gave them the chance to meet other Francophone parents. They expressed that speaking the same language helped them form friendships that made it easier to integrate into Canadian society.

Two weeks after announcing the closure, the daycare centre reversed its decision.

RESULT: This situation highlighted gaps in knowledge of the application of the French Language Services Act among designated child care providers as well as the public. As part of our complaint analysis process, the Commissioner reminded the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Francophone Affairs of the requirements of the FLSA with respect to compliance for designated agencies.

He stressed that his review of the complaints revealed serious issues with how the ministries manage the designation of daycare centres.

The Commissioner also noted that the list of designated agencies in Ontario Regulation 398/93 is outdated and unclear, and as a result, members of the public do not have access to reliable information about where they can access services in French, and designated agencies are not aware of their legal obligations—in particular, what services must be provided in French and where.

He encouraged the ministries to take swift action to rectify the situation and ensure that any corrective action taken does not decrease the level of French language service currently available in Ontario.

The French Language Services Unit continues to follow up with the ministries to secure tangible evidence that progress has been made to ensure the compliance of daycare centres that are designated under the French Language Services Act.


Learn more about the French Language Services Unit which answers questions and takes complaints about services in French.