Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 11, Sched. 1. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/14c11
City of Toronto. (2025). Infection prevention & control measures for childcare centers. Toronto Public Health. https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/early-learning-child-care-partners/infection-prevention-control-for-child-care-centre-operators/infection-prevention-control-measures-for-child-care-centres/
City of Toronto. (2026). Policies & procedures for child care centres. Toronto Public Health. https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/early-learning-child-care-partners/infection-prevention-control-for-child-care-centre-operators/policies-procedures-for-child-care-centres/
Health Canada. (2025a). Canada’s food guide. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-guide.html
Health Canada. (2025b). Nutrition for healthy term infants: Recommendations from birth to six months and six to 24 months. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guide/resources/nutrition-healthy-term-infants/nutrition-healthy-term-infants-recommendations-birth-six-months.html
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2025a). Childcare centre licensing manual: Part 5 – Health and medical supervision. Government of Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/document/child-care-centre-licensing-manual/part-5-health-and-medical-supervision
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2025b). Child care centre licensing manual: Medication. Ontario.ca. https://www.ontario.ca/document/child-care-centre-licensing-manual/medication
Pimento, B., & Kernested, D. (2025). Healthy foundations in early childhood settings (7th ed.). Cengage Canada.
Toronto Public Health. (2026). Infectious diseases in childcare and family age groupings: Guidance for providers. City of Toronto. https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/community-partners/early-learning-child-care-partners/infection-prevention-control-for-child-care-centre-operators/communicable-disease-information-for-schools-child-care-centres/
Figure Captions
Figure 1. Adapted from Infection Prevention & Control Measures for Child Care Centres, by Toronto Public Health, 2024.
Figure 2. Importance of safety in early learning environments. Adapted from Healthy foundations in early childhood settings, by B. Pimento & D. Kernested, 2024.
Figure 3. Importance of nutrition in early childhood. Illustration created using CANVA, based on Health Canada (2026). https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-guide.html
Figure 4. Healthy Plate. Illustration created using CANVA, adapted from Health Canada’s Canada’s Food Guide (2026). https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-guide.html
Figure 5. Canada’s Food Guide and Active Living. Illustration created using CANVA, based on Health Canada’s Canada’s Food Guide (2026). https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-guide.html
Figure 6. Preschool lunch menu. Illustration created using CANVA, adapted from Canada’s Food Guide by Health Canada (2026).