Yes you can hirer help as long as you do not exceed your allowable number and feel you can budget for it ~ lots of providers do it.

The challenge with hiring someone is it makes you an 'employer' and comes with rules and regulations you'd need to ensure you meet ~ so check with your insurance company to start to ensure your home childcare ryder will cover an employee and if not what EXTRA cost is associated with that so your butt is covered liability wise.

Also call CRA and find out how the 'legalities' of having an employee works because as an employer technically you would be required to pay the employers portion of EI, CPP, vacation pay, federal tax and other 'employer' tax contributions that are required to be made.

However when it was a short term situation like a mat leave verses a permanent thing I have had peers who claim to have 'contracted' their help and had a employment contract that clearly stated that the 'employer portion of all deducations' were being included in the hourly wage being paid and it was up to the employee to submit the entire portion both employee and employer at tax time and than they just made sure to pay them enough hourly wage to cover the expenses plus ensure the person is making at least minimum wage required ... if you go that route I would look to get help from a lawyer who specializes in employment contracts to ensure your butt is covered and whomever you hirer cannot come back later and claim you own them more money at tax time!