Enabling Accessibility Fund | Early Learning and Child Care

he Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) small projects component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) aims to improve accessibility and safety in regulated and/or licensed ELCC centres. This will help support children with disabilities, parents/guardians with disabilities and/or employees with disabilities. The goal is to ensure that all Canadian families have access to high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care.

The ELCC call for proposals (CFP) will provide up to $25,000,000 in funding over 2 years ($12,500,000 in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, and $12,500,000 in fiscal year 2022 to 2023).

Eligible organizations can only submit 1 application to this CFP and can apply for up to $70,000 for:

• new construction, renovation and/or retrofit activities that will increase accessibility and expand access to ELCC centres in Canadian communities; and/or
• accessible information and communication technologies

ESDC will fund 100% of eligible project costs up to $70,000.

Eligibility

To receive funding your organization must be a regulated and/or licensed child care organization. Funding is limited to:

• not-for-profit child care organizations
• child care organizations run by municipalities
• Indigenous child care organizations
• for-profit child care organizations (provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives); and
• organizations that operate in public schools (primary and secondary) or on public school property. If this is the case, the ELCC will be required to demonstrate that the proposed project activity is exclusively for the use of the child care centre/program

Your project must meet all of the following criteria:

• you must submit a complete application package before 5:00 p.m. EST on January 28, 2022
• your funding request cannot exceed $70,000
• your project activities cannot exceed 24 months
• your project activities cannot be:
  • on provincial or federal property (excluding public schools)
  • on public health care or public hospital property
  • in a home-based child care organization
  • in an unlicensed/unregulated child care centre or facility
• your project must be one of the following:
  • new construction, renovation or retrofit of existing spaces to improve physical accessibility; and/or
  • accessible information and communication technologies
• for projects other than ramps, accessible washrooms, accessible doors, elevators, accessible lifts and pool lifts (known as non-flat rate activities), you must provide 1 external cost estimate (quote). You must submit a rationale if you cannot provide an estimate and an explanation of how you calculated your project costs
• you must provide a description of the community support you have to ensure your project is a success. Please refer to question 33 in the applicant guide for more details

If your project is for new construction, renovation or retrofit of an existing space:

• you must submit a digital picture of the project space to improve (GIF, JPG, JPEG). Your picture must demonstrate the accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities

Timeline

January 28, 2022: Deadline for application

Information sessions:

• December 9, 2021 (French: 11 a.m. EST, English: 1 p.m. EST)
• December 15, 2021 (French: 1 p.m. EST, English: 2:30 p.m. EST)
• January 13, 2022 (French: 11 a.m. EST, English: 1 p.m. EST)

If you are interested in taking part in an information session, please send an email to ESDC.ELCC.EAF-FA.AGJE.EDSC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca. In your email, please indicate the date and your preferred language that you would like to attend the information session. We will provide you with the information and instructions on how to participate.

In your email, please indicate if you would like to attend an information session in English or French. Please let us know if you will be requiring an accommodation to participate.

See Full Eligibility & Application Details