Ontario Early Years Centre - Simcoe North
The Ontario Early Years Centre - Simcoe North (registered as 130189152RR0001) is a nonprofit organization providing early childhood development programs and family support services in Simcoe County, Ontario. Established under the Ontario Early Years initiative, it focuses on serving parents, caregivers, and children from prenatal stages to six years of age.

Core services

The centre offers free programs designed to assist caregivers in their parenting roles while fostering child development through structured activities. Key elements include:

• Parent-child interactive playgroups promoting social and cognitive development
• Workshops and resources on early childhood education, nutrition, and parenting strategies
• Developmental play spaces emphasizing skill-building through age-appropriate activities
• Community connections linking families to local health and social services

Program structure

Services are delivered through in-person sessions at multiple locations across Simcoe County, including Midland, Orillia, and surrounding areas. Programming aligns with Ontario’s How Does Learning Happen? framework, emphasizing:

• Belonging and well-being through inclusive environments
• Engagement via responsive, play-based learning
• Expression of creativity and communication
• Collaboration between families and educators

Francophone services

In partnership with La Clé, Francophone programming is available through designated Centres ON y va, delivering culturally relevant early learning experiences in French. These parallel services ensure equitable access to linguistic minorities within the region.

Historical context

The organization operates within Ontario’s broader EarlyON Child and Family Centre network, reflecting provincial efforts to consolidate early years programming under a unified model. While maintaining its original branding as an Ontario Early Years Centre in public communications, it adheres to provincial standards for early childhood development support.

Governance

As a registered charity, the centre receives provincial funding and collaborates with local agencies to address community-specific needs. Programming remains adaptable to emerging early childhood education research and regional demographic shifts.