Table 1 Provincial and territorial childcare legislation for physical activity and screen-viewing

Alberta

Child Care Licensing Act, 2008

Childcare Licencing Regulation 143/2008 (with amendments up to and including Alberta Regulation 152/2016)

Daycare centers

19 months to under 13 yrs

Under 12 months: 1:3

12–18 months: 1:4

19 months to 4.5 yrs: 1:8

Over 4.5 yrs: 1:10

•Must keep up with the physical, social, creative, intellectual, and emotional needs of the child ^≠

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.0m² per child

•Outdoor play space:

 ○ ≥  2m² for each child under 19 months

 ○ ≥  4.5m² for children over 19 months

Provide indoor and outdoor play materials

British Colombia

Community Care and Assisted Living Act, S.B.C. 2002, Chapter 75

Child Care Licensing Regulation 332/2007, including amendments to B.C. Reg. 178/2016

Child Care Subsidy Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, Chapter 26; Child Care Subsidy Regulation 74/97.

Child Care BC Act, S.B.C. 2001. Chapter 4.

Group daycare centers

Preschools

Family childcare

Child minding

0–5 yrs

30 months to 5 yrs

0–12 yrs

1.5–12 yrs

1:4

1:10

1:7

1:8

•Opportunities for social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth

•Encourage development of large and small muscle skills

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.7m² per child

Outdoor play space: ≥ 7m² per child

•Provide periods for outdoor play (weather permitting)

Manitoba

Community Child Care Standards Act, C.C.S.M. c. C158. (amended 67/2016)

Child Care Regulation, M.R. 62/86.

Child Care Worker Retirement Benefits Regulation, M.R. 20/2011

Childcare centers

Nursery school

School-age childcare

Family childcare homes

Group childcare homes

0–12 yrs and 0–18 yrs for children with disabilities

12 wks to 1 yr:

1:3

1–2 yrs: 1:4

2–3 yrs: 1:6

3–4 yrs: 1:8

4–5 yrs: 1:9

5–6 yrs: 1:10

6–12 yrs: 1:15

•Play activities must allow for daily large and small muscle activity

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.3m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 7m²

•Provide space and equipment for a variety of activities including fine motor activities

•Provide time for outdoor play (weather permitting)^≠

New Brunswick

Early Childhood Services Act. 2010.

Family Services Act. 1980.

Family Services Act and Day Care Regulations, 83–85, as amended.

Daycare centers

Nursery Schools

School-age childcare centers

Community daycare homes

0–12 yrs

Birth to 24 months: 1:3

2 yrs: 1:5

3 yrs: 1:7

4 yrs: 1:10

5 yrs: 1:12

6–12 yrs: 1:15

N/A

•Television viewing is not part of the daily program

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.25m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥  4.5m² per child

•Provide time for outdoor play (weather permitting)^≠

•Provide equipment that promotes gross and fine motor movement

Newfoundland & Labrador

Child Care Services Act. — SNL 1998, chapter c-11.1, amended 1999 c22 s6, 2001 c36.

Child Care Services Regulation 37/99, revised March 2007.

Childcare centers

School-age childcare centers

Family childcare

0–13 yrs

0–24 months: 1:3

2-3 yrs: 1:5

3–5.75 yrs: 1:8

4.75–7 yrs: 1:12

7–12.9 yrs 1:15

N/A

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.3m² per child

•Must have access to an outdoor play area if in care for 4 + hrs

•Outdoor play areas not required for family/ home daycare

Northwest Territories

Child Day Care Act and the Child Day Care Standards and Regulations 1988 (2013).

Child Day Care Standards and Regulations, R-053-2012, with amendments R-092-2014

Center daycare facilities

Preschool daycare

Out of school daycare

Family home daycare

0–11 yrs

0–12 months: 1:3

13–24 months: 1:4

25–35 months: 1:6

3 yrs: 1:8

4 yrs: 1:9

5–11 yrs: 1:10

•Facilitate and stimulate physical development

•Opportunity to participate in activities that promote physical fitness for 30 mins/day

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  2.75 m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 5m² per child

•Provide daily outdoor play activities for each child^≠

•Space should be developmentally appropriate for children

Nova Scotia

Day Care Act. Chapter 120, of the Revised Statutes, 1989. R.S., c. 120. s. 1.41

Day Care Regulations Reg 193/2010, N.S. Reg. 226/2014 and including O.I.C. 2014–531 (December 22, 2014), N.S. Reg. 227/2014

Childcare centers

Family daycare homes

0–12 yrs

Childcare centers

Infant: 1:4

Toddler: 1:6

Preschooler: 1:8

Family Daycare Homes

Infants: 1:3

School age: 1:8

•Provide opportunities for physical activity

•Activities must stimulate physical development

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  2.75m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 7m² per child

•Provide outdoor playtime in the morning and afternoon (weather permitting)

Nunavut^±

Child Day Care Act and the Child Day Care Standards and Regulations 1988 (2013).

Child Day Care Standards and Regulations, R-053-2012, with amendments R-092-2014

Center daycare facilities

Preschool daycare

Out of school daycare

Family home daycare

0–11 yrs

0–12 months: 1:3

12–24 months: 1:4

25–35 months: 1:6

3 yrs: 1:8

4 yrs: 1:9

5–11 yrs: 1:10

•Facilitate and stimulate physical development

•Opportunity to participate in activities that promote physical fitness for 30 mins/day

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  2.75 m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥  5m² per child

•Provide daily outdoor play activities for each child^≠

•Space should be developmentally appropriate for children

Ontario

Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 11, Sched. 1

Ontario Regulation 137/15: GENERAL

Childcare centers

Licensed home childcare

0–12 yrs and 0–18 yrs for children with disabilities

Indoors

Infants: 3:10

Toddlers: 1:5

Preschooler: 1:8

Kindergarten: 1 to 13

Outdoors

No reduced ratios

•Activities that promote gross and fine motor skills development

•Incorporate active and quiet play into daily programming

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  2.8m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 5.6m² per child

•Provide 2 h of outdoor playtime for every 6+ hrs in care (weather permitting)

•Incorporate indoor and outdoor play into daily programming

Prince Edward Island

Child Care Facilities Act. 1988.

Child Care Facilities Regulations. 1988.

The Social Assistance Act. 2003 (Dept of Community Services and Seniors)

Early childhood center

Family childcare

School-aged childcare center

Under 12 yrs

Indoors

Under 22 months: 1:3

22 months to 3 yrs: 1:5

Over 3 yrs: 1:10

School-age: 1:15

Outdoors

Under 22 months: 1:3

22 months to 3 yrs: 1:7

Over 3 yrs: 1:15

School-age: 1:22

•Activities designed to enhance emotional, social, cognitive and gross and fine motor development

•Opportunities for active and quiet play

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥  3.5m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 7m² per child

•Provide outdoor play opportunities^≠

Quebec

Ministère de la Famille:

Educational Childcare Act (R.S.Q., chapter S-4.1.1).

Educational Childcare Regulation chapter S-4.1.1, r. 2

Ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la recherche:

Règlement sur les services de garde en milieu scolaire. L.R.Q., c.I-13.3., a. 454.1; 1997, c.58, a.51; 1997, c.96, a.132.

Childcare center

Daycare center

Home or Family childcare

School-age childcare

0–14 yrs

<  18 months: 1:5

18 months to < 4 yrs: 1:8

4 yrs to < 5 yrs: 1:10

>  5 yrs: 1:20

•Provide educational activities that promote physical development

•Programs which foster emotional, social, moral, cognitive, language, physical, and motor development^≠

N/A

•Indoor play space:

○ ≥  4m² per child under 18 months

○ ≥  2.75m² per child over 18 months

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 4m² per child

•Provide daily outdoor play periods (weather permitting)^≠

•Play equipment must meet Canadian safety standards

Saskatchewan

Child Care Act. Bill 8, 1990 as amended by the Statutes of Saskatchewan, 2000

Child Care Regulations, Chapter C-7.31 Reg 1 (effective June 15, 2015) as amended by Saskatchewan Regulations 69/2015 and 49/2016.

Childcare centers

School-age childcare

Family childcare homes

0–13 yrs and 0–15 yrs for children with disabilities

1:15

N/A

N/A

•Indoor play space:

○≥  3.7m² per infant

○≥  3.25m² per toddler, preschool, and school-aged child

•Outdoor play space: ≥ 7m² per child

•Provide materials for indoor and outdoor activities

•Provide outdoor play periods

Yukon

Child Care Act, 1990/087

Child Care Center Program Regulations, 1995

Family Day Home Program Regulation, 1995

School-Age Program Regulation, 1995

Child Care Subsidy Regulation, 1995

Childcare centers

School-age childcare

Family day home

12 yrs and under and 16 yrs and younger for children with disabilities

Infants to 18 months: 1:4

18 months to 3 yrs: 1:6

3–5 yrs: 1:8

School-age: 1:12

•Offer physical activities to promote large muscle development and physical competences (e.g., running and climbing)

•Promote small muscle development and physical well-being

•Provide opportunities for vigorous activities

N/A

•Indoor play space: ≥ 4m² per child

•Outdoor play space: ≥  5m² per child

•Opportunity to play outdoors everyday (weather permitting)^≠

•Outdoor equipment must be provided for large muscle activity