On August 31, 2026, Quebec had 259,891 subsidized daycare spots for 411,925 children aged 0 to 4, or 63.1 spots for every 100 children by our calculation. The best-supplied region is Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, with 69.1 spots per 100 children; the least supplied is Abitibi-Témiscamingue, with 57.1. The gap between regions is modest, and none has as many subsidized spots as young children. Wherever you live, register your child on the childcare registration portal as soon as they are born.
1. How this ranking works
This ranking compares one thing only: the number of subsidized daycare spots for every 100 children aged 0 to 4 in each of the 17 administrative regions. Higher is better. Subsidized spots are those in CPEs (early childhood centres), subsidized daycares and subsidized home childcare providers, the three types the ministry lists separately in its dashboard.
The number of spots comes from the regional tables of the Ministère de la Famille et de la Jeunesse, for example the one for Montréal, with figures as of August 31, 2026, read on November 9, 2026. For each region, we add up the spots in CPEs, subsidized daycares and home childcare, then subtract the non-subsidized home childcare spots given in the footnote.
The number of children comes from the population estimates of the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) as of July 1, 2025. These are preliminary figures, the most recent by region and age.
The ministry publishes spots by region every month and the ISQ publishes population once a year, so we check this ranking every month. We receive no payment from any daycare.
2. The regions, ranked
Across Quebec, there were 63.1 subsidized spots for every 100 children aged 0 to 4. Between the first and the last region, the gap is 12 spots per 100 children. The last column also counts non-subsidized spots, for information only: the ranking uses only the column before it.
| Rank | Region | Subsidized spots (Aug. 31, 2026) | Children aged 0 to 4 (July 1, 2025) | Subsidized spots per 100 children | All spots per 100 children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine | 2,312 | 3,344 | 69.1 | 70.7 |
| 2 | Centre-du-Québec | 8,614 | 12,562 | 68.6 | 74.9 |
| 3 | Bas-Saint-Laurent | 5,046 | 7,595 | 66.4 | 70.0 |
| 4 | Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean | 7,840 | 11,864 | 66.1 | 77.3 |
| 5 | Outaouais | 13,307 | 20,441 | 65.1 | 76.1 |
| 6 | Estrie | 14,674 | 22,627 | 64.9 | 73.4 |
| 7 | Lanaudière | 17,766 | 27,448 | 64.7 | 74.8 |
| 8 | Nord-du-Québec | 2,609 | 4,053 | 64.4 | 65.2 |
| 9 | Montréal | 60,547 | 95,676 | 63.3 | 84.3 |
| 10 | Chaudière-Appalaches | 13,545 | 21,432 | 63.2 | 73.3 |
| 11 | Montérégie | 45,873 | 72,859 | 63.0 | 77.9 |
| 12 | Mauricie | 7,554 | 12,054 | 62.7 | 71.0 |
| 13 | Laval | 12,802 | 20,477 | 62.5 | 87.1 |
| 14 | Capitale-Nationale | 22,479 | 36,827 | 61.0 | 79.2 |
| 15 | Côte-Nord | 2,384 | 3,956 | 60.3 | 61.0 |
| 16 | Laurentides | 18,461 | 31,568 | 58.5 | 73.4 |
| 17 | Abitibi-Témiscamingue | 4,078 | 7,142 | 57.1 | 58.8 |
| — | All of Quebec | 259,891 | 411,925 | 63.1 | 77.7 |
3. Subsidized spots or all spots
The rank changes a lot when non-subsidized daycares are counted too. Laval is 13th out of 17 for subsidized spots, but first when all spots are counted, with 87.1 spots per 100 children: the region has 5,034 spots in non-subsidized daycares. Montréal has 20,048.
A non-subsidized spot costs full price. A refundable tax credit from Revenu Québec, based on family income, pays back part of it.
By contrast, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Côte-Nord have no spots in non-subsidized daycares: almost all their spots are subsidized.
4. What this ranking does not tell you
It is not the share of children who have a spot. Not all parents look for a spot, and the need is not the same from one region to the next.
It is a regional average: within one region, some towns have many spots and others very few. The ministry publishes a more detailed table, by coordinating-office territory and by municipality (by CLSC territory in Montréal), which compares the spots available on August 31, 2026, with an estimate of demand.
The two figures do not have the same date: spots are as of August 31, 2026, and population as of July 1, 2025. The number of children aged 0 to 4 in Quebec fell from one year to the next: from 418,606 in 2024 to 411,925 in 2025, according to the ISQ.
A rank does not tell you how long you will wait for a spot either.
5. How to use this ranking
Whatever your region, register your child on the childcare registration portal (formerly La Place 0-5) as soon as they are born. Only children already born or adopted can be registered, and spots are assigned by desired start date, not by registration date. The steps are explained in our guide to subsidized daycare.
If you are choosing where to settle, look at the ministry's table by municipality: what counts is the supply in your town, not the regional average.
Spots open up every year: according to the ministry, about 55,000 spots open up each year, following the school calendar. Keep your file up to date on the portal so you do not miss an offer.
Have a plan B for the first months, for example a non-subsidized daycare with the childcare expense tax credit.
6. Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about daycare spots by region.
Why count children aged 0 to 4?
Because, among the age groups the Institut de la statistique du Québec publishes by region, it is the closest to the children who attend daycare. It is a benchmark: the result is not the exact share of children who have a spot.
How many children are waiting for a spot?
As of May 31, 2025, 30,688 children were waiting for a daycare spot, according to the ministry. The ministry says it is the latest figure available, because the collection method changed with the new registration portal. The figure is more than a year old, which is why this ranking does not use it.
Are there figures for my town?
Yes. The ministry publishes a supply and demand estimate table, updated every month, by coordinating-office territory and by municipality (by CLSC territory in Montréal). Demand in it is estimated from the children waiting as of May 31, 2025.
How often is the ranking updated?
The ministry publishes spots by region every month. The ISQ publishes its population estimates once a year: the latest update is from January 14, 2026. We check this ranking every month and change the figures when new data are published.
7. See also
These related guides may be useful:
- Subsidized daycare in Quebec — the types of spots, the rate and registration on the portal, step by step.
- Family allowances in Quebec and Canada — the monthly support paid to parents of young children.
- An immigrant family's budget — where childcare costs fit in your first-year budget.
- Choosing an elementary school — the next step, when your child leaves daycare.
8. Official sources
Author's note: This ranking helps you know what to expect in your region, not choose where to live. Register your child on the portal as soon as they are born, then keep a plan B for the first months.
