CCEYA Ratios for Ontario Daycares: The Complete 2026 Guide
If you've ever had a parent ask "how many staff do you have per child?" — or had a licensing review question whether your afternoon schedule meets ratio requirements — this is the page to bookmark.
Ontario's staff-to-child ratios are set out in Schedule 1 of Ontario Regulation 137/15, under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA). They're not suggestions. They're minimums — and they apply whether children are inside the centre or off the premises during an outing.
Here's everything you need to know, in plain language.
Ontario Staff-to-Child Ratios: The Complete Table
Age GroupAge RangeStaff:Child RatioMax Group SizeQualified Staff RequiredInfant0 – 18 months1:3101 in 3Toddler18 – 30 months1:5151 in 3Preschool30 months – 6 years1:8242 in 3Kindergarten44 months – 7 years1:13261 in 2Primary/Junior68 months – 13 years1:15301 in 2Junior9 – 13 years1:20201 in 1
Source: Schedule 1, Ontario Regulation 137/15 under the CCEYA.
A few things worth noting in how to read this table:
"Qualified staff" means a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) or a person approved by the director. In a preschool room, for example, at least 2 of every 3 staff must be qualified — meaning if you have 3 educators in the room, at least 2 must be RECEs.
These ratios apply at all times when children are present — on the floor, during transitions, on field trips, in the gym. The regulation is explicit: requirements apply "whether children are on the premises or during activities off the premises."
Group size maximums are separate from ratio requirements. You might technically have the right ratio but still be in violation if you exceed the maximum group size. Both must be met simultaneously.
Reduced Ratios: When They Apply and When They Don't
The regulation allows for reduced ratios — down to two-thirds of the mandated requirement — but only under specific conditions. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood parts of the CCEYA, so it's worth being precise.
Reduced ratios are permitted during:
The first 90 minutes of the program day (arrival period)
The last 60 minutes of the program day (departure period)
Rest periods, up to a maximum of 2 hours
Reduced ratios are never permitted:
In infant rooms — at any time, for any reason
During outdoor play — regardless of age group or time of day
Below two-thirds of the mandated ratio under any circumstance
There's an additional provision for toddler and preschool rooms during rest: if another approved employee is available in the building and can respond in an emergency, the ratio may be reduced to half — not just two-thirds — during the rest period. This is a staffing tool some centres use to allow educators to take lunch breaks. If you're considering this, check with your Program Advisor first to confirm your licence accommodates it.
A practical note for supervisors: arrival and departure times are often your most complex ratio windows. Children are arriving inconsistently, educators may still be transitioning between rooms, and families are in the space. Tracking actual child count during that 90-minute window — not just who's scheduled to arrive — is how you stay genuinely compliant, not just technically compliant.
Outdoor Play: No Exceptions
This comes up often enough to deserve its own section.
Ratios do not reduce during outdoor play. The regulation is explicit on this. Outdoor environments carry additional risks — more space to cover, physical activity, equipment — and the mandated ratios must be maintained at full requirement throughout outdoor time, regardless of age group.
This catches centres out during yard supervision more than anywhere else. If your indoor room has three educators running a reduced-ratio arrival window, and children start moving outside before the fourth educator arrives, you may be out of compliance the moment children are in the yard.
Supervisor Counting: A Common Question
Can the centre supervisor be counted toward ratio? Yes — under specific conditions.
If your room requires 1 to 4 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to meet ratio, the supervisor can be counted as one FTE for the full time they're required. If 5 to 6 FTEs are required, the supervisor can only be counted toward ratio for up to 50% of the time. Above 6 FTEs required, the supervisor cannot be counted toward ratio at all.
The practical implication: in smaller centres or smaller rooms, a working supervisor can meaningfully cover ratio. In larger operations, the math changes quickly.
Mixed-Age Groupings
The CCEYA does permit mixed-age groupings in certain circumstances — typically described as "family age groups." When children from different age categories are grouped together, the most restrictive ratio and group size applies. So if you're running a mixed infant-toddler room, you default to the infant requirements (1:3, max 10).
Mixed-age groupings require approval through your Program Advisor and are subject to additional conditions. If you're considering one, get the conversation started with your licensor early — the paperwork and approval process takes time.
Why These Numbers Exist
It's easy to experience ratios as an administrative constraint, especially on a short-staffed afternoon. But the numbers reflect something real about child development and safety.
The younger a child is, the more continuous adult attention and co-regulation they need. An infant cannot self-regulate, cannot communicate danger, cannot move away from a hazard independently. The 1:3 ratio in an infant room isn't bureaucracy — it's a baseline for what responsive care of very young children actually requires.
As children develop — cognitively, emotionally, physically — they become more capable of managing in a larger group without constant one-to-one support. The ratio progression in the table tracks that development. It's the same arc ELECT describes when it talks about children moving from dependence toward increasing autonomy across each domain.
Supervisors who understand the developmental logic behind ratios tend to hold them differently. Not as a compliance floor, but as a quality standard with a real reason behind it.
Quick Reference: The Numbers You Actually Need Day-to-Day
Infants (0–18 months): 1 staff per 3 children. Max 10 per group. No reduced ratios, ever. No outdoor exceptions.
Toddlers (18–30 months): 1 staff per 5 children. Max 15. Reduced ratio allowed at arrival, departure, and rest. Never outside.
Preschool (30 months–6 years): 1 staff per 8 children. Max 24. At least 2 of 3 staff must be RECEs. Reduced ratio allowed at arrival, departure, and rest. Never outside.
School age: Ratios loosen progressively (1:13, 1:15, 1:20 depending on age). At least 1 in 2 staff must be qualified for younger school-age groups.
A Note on Using This Guide
This post reflects Ontario Regulation 137/15 under the CCEYA as of 2025. Regulations can be amended — always verify against the current version on ontario.ca or through your Programme Advisor before making staffing decisions based on this guide. When in doubt, go to the source.
The official reference: Ontario Regulation 137/15, Schedule 1
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