How it works
A baby in Ontario runs on three numbers most people get wrong: what EI parental benefits actually pay (55% of earnings, max $729/week in 2026), what childcare actually costs (capped at $22/day in licensed CWELCC-enrolled programs), and what raising a child costs overall (an estimated ~$278,000 to age 18). Answer 7 quick questions and we'll score your finances against those realities — and tell you what to do next either way.
Your answers stay in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
Your verdict
NorthPeak Life · Baby Affordability Quiz
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Your next moves
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The 12 things to do before your leave starts — EI application timing, top-up paperwork, benefit stacking. One email, no spam, ever.
Not financial advice
This quiz is general information only. It is not financial advice and it does not tell you whether to have a child — that decision involves far more than money. It gives no medical or fertility advice of any kind. EI and childcare figures are published 2026 program parameters and can change; verify your own benefit entitlement with Service Canada. Ontario only; rules differ elsewhere. For advice about your situation, speak to a licensed financial professional.
Methodology & sources
Verdicts come from a 20-point scale: seven questions covering household income, emergency savings, housing-cost share, debt payments, childcare-cost awareness, employer parental-leave top-ups, and support network. Each answer scores 0–3 points (support network 0–2). Tiers: 15+ "Ready When You Are", 11–14 "Tight But Doable", 7–10 "Pump the Brakes", under 7 "Not Yet — Here's the Plan". All scoring happens in your browser; nothing is stored or transmitted.
The money figures behind the questions are published 2026 parameters, not estimates:
- EI maternity & parental benefits (federal): standard rate 55% of average insurable weekly earnings up to $729/week; extended rate 33% up to $437/week; maximum insurable earnings $68,900; maternity up to 15 weeks, standard parental up to 35 weeks (one parent) / 40 weeks shared, extended up to 61 / 69 weeks shared; 1-week unpaid waiting period; 600 insurable hours to qualify; standard vs. extended choice cannot be changed after the first payment. Source: canada.ca — EI maternity and parental benefits.
- Ontario CWELCC childcare cap: $22/day maximum (about $477/month) for infant, toddler and preschool care in licensed, CWELCC-enrolled programs; provincial average about $19/day (~$412/month); fees frozen at these levels through at least December 31, 2026 (new federal–Ontario agreement holds the $19/day average through June 30, 2027). Programs that opt out of CWELCC charge unregulated market rates. Source: ontario.ca — Canada-Ontario early years and child care agreement.
- Cost of raising a child: an estimated ~$278,000 to age 18 in 2026 Ontario dollars (derived estimate: MoneySense 2023 category base with CWELCC-capped childcare substituted; labelled an estimate, not a published figure). Reference points: StatsCan 2014–2017 study totals $238k–$404k per child (2017 dollars, two-parent two-child households); MoneySense ~$321k to 18 (2023 dollars, pre-CWELCC childcare). Sources: CIC News summary of the StatsCan study; MoneySense.
- RESP / CESG: 20% grant on the first $2,500 contributed per year (up to $500/year, $7,200 lifetime per child) — relevant to the "open an RESP early" next step. Source: canada.ca — RESP/CESP.
The quiz's personalized EI estimate is an illustration: it assumes the leave-taking parent earns about half the selected household income, up to the $68,900 insurable maximum. Real benefit amounts depend on your actual insurable earnings and hours — use the Parental Leave Pay Estimator or Service Canada's calculator for your real number.
Frequently asked questions
Is this quiz financial advice?
No. It is an educational estimate — general information, not financial advice, and not a recommendation about whether to have a child. Only a licensed financial professional can advise on your situation.
How is the verdict calculated?
Seven questions covering income, emergency savings, housing-cost share, debt, childcare-cost awareness, employer top-ups and support network, scored 0–3 points each (support network 0–2) on a 20-point scale. All scoring happens in your browser.
What EI numbers does the quiz use?
Published 2026 federal parameters: 55% up to $729/week (standard), 33% up to $437/week (extended), $68,900 maximum insurable earnings, 600 insurable hours to qualify, 1-week unpaid waiting period.
What childcare cost does the quiz use?
Ontario's CWELCC cap of $22/day (~$477/month) for licensed, CWELCC-enrolled infant, toddler and preschool care. Programs that opt out charge unregulated market rates.
Is this quiz only for Ontario?
Yes. Childcare caps and subsidies differ by province; these figures apply to Ontario only.
Is the quiz free?
Yes. The quiz is free and your answers stay in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.