The Mad House, located at 5459, Lac Street Anne Trail in Onoway, offers facility-based programing for young children. The Mad House is licensed for a maximum of 36 spaces.
Our Child Caring Canada team has prepared this review so you can be more informed before enrolling your child in The Mad House.
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🕓 Choose Programs
In Alberta, facility-based licenses allow operators to offer up to three types of care under a single license: daycare, preschool and out-of-school care programs.
- ✅️ Day Care programs provide care and supervision for children, typically from infancy to school age (0–5 years), while parents or guardians are at work or otherwise unavailable. These programs offer a safe environment where children can engage in play-based learning, socialization, and age-appropriate activities. The Mad House provides daycare services. There are 3 daycare programs in Onoway.
- ❌ Preschool programs focus on early childhood education and preparation for formal schooling. They emphasize structured learning, social development, and school-readiness skills through play and instruction. The Mad House does not provide preschool services. There is only 1 pre-school program in Onoway.
- ✅️ Out-Of-School Care programs provide supervision and care for school-age children outside regular school hours. They aim to support working families by offering a safe place for children before and after school, as well as during school breaks. The Mad House provides out-of-school care services. There are 3 out-of-school programs in Onoway.
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💼 Know Operator
Although Alberta does not report on the ownership of child care operators, we conducted a preliminary research of The Mad House in an attempt to understand its corporate governance.
The owner could not be identified based on our preliminary research.
The Mad House does not appear to operate any affiliate location.
Single-location providers can focus resources on one facility, while larger providers may benefit from better resources, structured curriculums, and consistent standards across locations, offering flexibility to families.
Before you decide enroll your child in The Mad House, it is important to look beyond history or scale. Visiting the location, asking detailed questions, and assessing how the program aligns with your child’s needs are critical steps in making an informed choice.
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👮 Check Compliance
The most recent inspection of The Mad House was completed on January 4, 2024.
No non-compliance issues have been reported since 2023. The average is 1 per facility in Onoway.
Parents can access a government database to review publicly available records of accreditation status and previous inspections for The Mad House in more detail.
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📜 Understand Regulatory Framework
The provincial government is responsible for setting policies, regulations, and licensing standards. It licenses child care programs and family day home agencies, conducts regular inspections, and investigates complaints to maintain safety and quality in the sector.
Unlike other jurisdictions, Alberta does not require the involvement of Onoway’s local government in child care. Instead, the province directly funds providers through grants. These grants help with operational costs, provide wage top-ups for staff, and offer accreditation funding to improve service quality.
In February 2021, the Early Learning and Child Care Act introduced a major shift in the regulatory framework. The licensing model changed from program-based to facility-based. Now, there are four types of licenses: facility-based programs, group family child care programs, family day homes regulated by licensed agencies, and innovative child care programs.
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If The Mad House is not what you are looking for, use the below search bar below to find another facility in Alberta.