Pay Rate/Salaries

[torontomama]

Hi there - I am new to this and would love any isight you can provide. I am considering opening a licensed daycare in Toronto. Can anyone provide some information on salaries? 1) What is the average salary for an ECE and ECA? 2) Do ECE or ECA salaries change depending on the group they oversee (infant, toddler, preschool) 3) Are all ECE and ECAs paid an hourly or annual salary 4) What is the going salary for a experienced supervisor at a daycare who takes care of all the day-to-day operations, curriculum, registration, etc.? 5) Do all full time ECE, ECAs receive dental and medical benefits?
Also, what do substitute ECEs or ECAs get paid? Thank you so much in advance. I'm doing research on this but see a huge variation and it would be great to get some feedback from this group. Thank you so much in advance!

[Fearlessbaby]

I used to work at a daycare. I made $15/hour. Some pay less- $13/hour to start. I haven't been a daycare worker for a while- so I would inquire by responding to ads in papers. I didn't receive benefits, but if you could provide workers with those after some experience, it would be great. Good luck!

[Discoveries]

It can vary greatly. In the Toronto area I suspect pay may be higher, but for my area hourly rate range is:

Executive Director $18-$47
Supervisors $14-$38
Assistant supervisors $12-$25
ECE in program $11-$27
ECE as program support $11-$21
Non ECE program staff minimum wage - $21
Supply staff minimum wage - $22
Office admin. $13-$22

[Lee-Bee]

The higher you pay the better qualified staff you have and the less staff turn over you have. In my experience daycare workers are greatly underpaid for what they do. The high quality, passionate, loyal and dedicated workers tend to leave the field to secure work that pays more and has benefits and retirement plans etc.

Obviously it is not always the case, but from what I have experienced in my time working in daycare centres is that the centres that have higher salaries, benefits and perks have really great staff that plan to stay there for the course of their working life. As a result they have quality programs, great reputations, are full with wait lists and are well sought out. Many other centres pay minimum wage, have lower qualified staff that are there for a job, have really frequent staff turn over which leads to a less quality program, less loyal clients/families and less than great reputation.

My point being...I would think it is safe to say that the best way to ensure a new daycare business can ensure their business will succeed and be there long term is to ensure they treat their staff well, and treat them as more than just minimum wage workers.

[torontomama]

Thanks for the responses here. It seems like it really varies and obviously value in providing benefits and higher salaries if you want quality staff. Are most staff paid by the hour or are they salaried? Also, anyone know of a great site to post jobs? Also, what is the difference between an "ECE in Program" vs "ECE as Program Support"? I thought any teacher outside of the ECE was an ECA? Thanks in advance!

[daycaremum]

If you research current ads in your area for daycare centres looking for staff you will see the Toronto area offers higher wages than other parts of Ontario. Searching employment ads is a good way of seeing what other centres are offering.

[daycaremum]

Indeed is a good site as well as Wow Jobs. If you just do a google search "ECE employment Toronto Ontario" it will come up with lots of great options and information.