Quebec is set to close its current daycare registration system on October 16 to pave the way for a new portal aimed at enhancing fairness, simplicity, and transparency in the process. La Place 0-5, the primary platform in Quebec for accessing authorized child-care services, has been a vital resource for numerous parents in the province right from the moment they discover they are expecting a child.
The upcoming changes in Quebec’s daycare registration process, including modifications to eligibility criteria, are significant. The new platform, known as the Portail d’inscription aux services de garde, is designed to provide more transparency and equity in the allocation of subsidized daycare spots. Instead of prioritizing children based on their registration date, the new system will focus on each child’s desired start date, aligning more closely with families’ actual needs.
Minister Kateri Champagne Jourdain emphasized the move away from the previous first-come, first-served approach to alleviate pressure on expectant parents. The transition to the new system will involve the automatic transfer of files for children born before October 16 and awaiting daycare placement from La Place 0-5 to the fresh portal.
The phased launch of the new portal will see daycares preparing their accounts and admissions criteria in October, followed by parents gaining access to create or update profiles in November. By December, the portal will be fully operational, enabling parents to view their child’s priority ranking and the likelihood of securing a spot promptly.
Despite the government’s assertion that the revamped system will ensure greater transparency and fairness, some stakeholders remain cautious. Concerns linger regarding whether the new platform will address the fundamental challenges within Quebec’s daycare system. Issues of access, affordability, and staff shortages persist, with thousands of children still on waitlists for daycare placements.
Moreover, data security is a key apprehension following a previous data breach in La Place 0-5. The transition to the new portal has raised uncertainties among daycare administrators, who fear potential challenges akin to past government digital platform implementations.
With a two-week gap between the closure of La Place 0-5 and the launch of the new portal, parents are advised to update their information promptly on the existing platform before the blackout period commences.