A licence means that the program will be inspected. However, since enforcement of licensing standards varies by province or territory, inspection may be minimal or infrequent in some parts of Canada. Even licensed programs don't always comply with the standards. In some instances, provisional licences are issued to programs that fail to comply with certain requirements on the understanding that they work toward compliance. Most child care for infants and toddlers in Canada is unlicensed.
Unlicensed care is provided by someone other than a parent in a private residence.
It is not regulated by government standards or inspected by government officials. There is no outside supervision to guarantee minimum standards. Most provinces and territories specify a limit on the number of children allowed in unlicensed care. Some provinces even specify the number of young children a caregiver may look after. Caregivers who take in more than that number are providing illegal care.