Like others, I'm not worried. I don't know too many who would take 18 months for the same pay as 12. As it is, there are already a few families I've had who had to go back to work earlier than the year for financial reasons. If it does happen and parents choose this option, I'm okay with it too as I prefer kids over 18 months. My ratio is also 2 under 2 but finding older kids isn't that bad here....but definitely infant is the higher demand
I guess in Ontario the issue isn't simply that the two under two ratio exists, but that it has only just been implemented so we are dealing with the sudden influx of shortage, far more than simply at the rate of births.
Always ensure that your child receives quality care by taking the time to investigate the provider and by asking for references! We simply cannot verify the claims of every daycare provider.
Updates
We expect providers to keep their listing and available openings up-to-date. However, to prevent oversights, openings expire after 45 days.