Top 5 Daycares and Preschools in Etobicoke (2026)

By Jatin Dua · Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty · Updated 30 October 2026 · 8 min read — Five licensed, CWELCC-participating daycares and preschools across Etobicoke, with ages, licensed spaces, the current fee cap and how to get on waitlists.

How I chose these five

Every centre on this list is a licensed, non-profit child care centre that appears in the City of Toronto’s own child care listings and participates in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. I checked each one against its City page, and against the centre’s own website where it has one.

• Licensed and CWELCC-participating: so eligible families pay reduced fees.
• Spread across Etobicoke: one each in the north, centre, south-central, Humber Bay and Lakeshore areas.
• Useful age ranges: infant, toddler, preschool and before-and-after-school programs, plus one French-language option.

I have deliberately left out ratings and reviews. This is a starting list of real, licensed options by neighbourhood, not a ranking, and vacancies change constantly, so call each centre before you plan around it.

1. Terry Tan Child Centre (Bloordale)

What it offers

Terry Tan’s Bloordale site is the pick for families who need infant care, which is the hardest space to find. The City lists 10 infant, 25 toddler and 32 preschool spaces for children from birth to four years.

The centre’s website says it has been “Educating Your Children Since 1971,” is run by a volunteer parent and community board, and is staffed by Registered Early Childhood Educators. It also runs a second site, Eatonville, at 15 Rossburn Drive.

What it means for buyers and renters

The Bloordale site sits on Bloor Street West near The West Mall, and the centre notes that both of its sites are close to Highway 427. That makes it practical for parents who drive the 427 to work.

The centre’s site also mentions balanced meals and snacks with allergy policies, and access to resource consultants who support children with extra needs.

If you are buying a first home in central Etobicoke with a baby on the way, an infant-licensed centre within a short drive is worth checking before you firm up an offer.

Practical notes

• Address: 4258 Bloor Street West, M9C 1Z7
• Ages: 0 to 4 years
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., year-round (per the centre’s website)
• Phone: 416-621-4822

2. Macaulay–Humberwood Child Care Centre

What it offers

This is the north Etobicoke option, and it covers the longest age span on the list. The City lists 15 toddler, 40 preschool, 78 kindergarten and 60 school-age spaces for children from 18 months to 12 years.

It operates inside the Humberwood Centre, the building it shares with Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy and Holy Child Catholic School. The City lists walking escorts to both schools and a bus to Elmlea Junior School.

What it means for buyers and renters

For a family with a toddler now and a school-age child later, staying in one centre from 18 months to age 12 can remove years of logistics. The City’s listing links the centre to Macaulay Centres for Children, a registered charity that its website says has served the community since 1932.

Homes within walking distance of the Humberwood Centre carry that advantage, along with the library and City community centre in the same building.

Practical notes

• Address: 850 Humberwood Boulevard (Highway 427 and Rexdale area)
• Ages: 18 months to 12 years
• Phone: 416-394-4766
• Staff languages listed by the City include Akan (Twi), Hebrew and Italian.
• The City listing also names an Every Child Belongs resource consultant, a useful contact for children who need extra support.

3. Le Petit Chaperon Rouge – Etobicoke

What it offers

Le Petit Chaperon Rouge is the French-language choice. Its website describes a non-profit organization with eight centres in the Toronto area and a francophone setting where children learn through play.

At the Etobicoke location, the City lists 15 toddler, 20 preschool, 49 kindergarten and 75 school-age spaces for children from 18 months to 12 years. School-age care is the largest group here, which suits families with children already in the early grades.

What it means for buyers and renters

Families planning on French-language schooling, or simply wanting their children to hear French early, should put this centre near the top of their call list. It sits on Royal York Road near Norseman Street in south-central Etobicoke.

The City’s licensed child care page links to a dedicated list of French-language child care services, which is worth checking if this centre is full. The organization’s own site also invites parents to plan a visit before applying.

Practical notes

• Address: 755 Royal York Road (Royal York and Norseman)
• Ages: 18 months to 12 years
• Phone: 416-236-4557
• The organization’s website has a waitlist (“liste d’attente”) link.

4. Humber Bay Child Care Centre

What it offers

Humber Bay Child Care Centre serves the Park Lawn and The Queensway area of south Etobicoke. The City lists 15 toddler, 24 preschool, 52 kindergarten and 60 school-age spaces for children from 18 months to 12 years.

It is a non-profit, licensed centre that participates in CWELCC, so eligible families pay the reduced fee for children under six. With 52 kindergarten and 60 school-age spaces, before-and-after-school care is a large part of what it offers.

What it means for buyers and renters

In my experience, many young families in this part of Etobicoke start out in condos and then look for a house nearby. A centre that runs from toddler through school age lets parents keep the same care arrangement through that move if they stay in the area.

If you are renting or buying a condo in the area, ask about vacancies before your move date, because the City notes that vacancy information changes regularly.

Practical notes

• Address: 50 Cloverhill Road (Park Lawn and The Queensway)
• Ages: 18 months to 12 years
• Phone: 416-251-8240

5. Lakeshore Community Childcare Centre

What it offers

Lakeshore Community Childcare Centre operates inside Seventh Street Public School near Islington Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West. The City lists 20 toddler, 32 preschool, 52 kindergarten and 60 school-age spaces for children from 18 months to 10 years.

Being in a school building means older children can attend before-and-after-school care without a separate commute. Like the others on this list, it is a non-profit, licensed centre participating in CWELCC, according to the City.

What it means for buyers and renters

In my experience, the Lakeshore draws first-time buyers looking for older houses on lower-rise streets near the lake. A school-based centre is one of the most practical set-ups for working parents, because drop-off and school can happen at the same door.

If you are comparing houses in New Toronto, Mimico and Long Branch, check which elementary school each address is zoned for. If it is Seventh Street, this centre’s before-and-after-school program becomes especially convenient. Note that the City lists the age range here as up to 10 years, not 12.

Practical notes

• Address: 101 Seventh Street, in Seventh Street Public School
• Ages: 18 months to 10 years
• Phone: 416-394-7601

The five at a glance

What this means if you’re buying or selling in Etobicoke

Under CWELCC, Ontario capped eligible child care fees at $22 per day for children under six as of 1 January 2025. The federal government says added funding in 2026 is meant to hold Ontario’s average fee at about $19 per day until 31 December 2026, and the Canada–Ontario agreement has been extended to 31 March 2027. Fees apply only at participating centres, so confirm each centre’s current rate directly.

For City-operated centres, one fee subsidy application adds you to the subsidy waitlist and to the waitlists of the City-run programs you choose, and full-fee families register through a separate City waitlist. For non-profit centres like the five above, contact each centre about its own list.

The City’s licensed child care page tells parents to get on the wait list early, and its locator and A to Z list help you find centres by area. The Alderbuds Child Care Centre at 399 The West Mall is another central option with 10 infant spaces. When I help families with a move, I ask them to put their names on two or three lists the moment they have a firm closing date.

When you call, ask four things: whether the centre has a waitlist fee or deposit, how often it updates families on their place, whether siblings get priority, and whether the CWELCC fee applies to your child’s age group. The answers vary between centres, and they shape how many lists you should join.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Terry Tan Child Centre (Bloordale) — City of Toronto Children’s Services
• Macaulay – Humberwood Child Care Centre — City of Toronto Children’s Services
• Le Petit Chaperon Rouge – Etobicoke — City of Toronto Children’s Services
• Humber Bay Child Care Centre — City of Toronto Children’s Services
• Lakeshore Community Childcare Centre — City of Toronto Children’s Services
• Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care: Information for Parents — City of Toronto
• Canada-Ontario early learning and child care agreement — Government of Ontario
• How to apply for a TELCCS Centre or for Toronto Home Child Care — City of Toronto

Related reading

• Top 5 Kids’ Activities in Etobicoke (2026)
• Top 5 Libraries and Community Centres in Etobicoke (2026)
• Top 5 Catholic High Schools in Etobicoke (2026)
• Top 5 Schools in Etobicoke