QUEEN’S PARK – As part of its commitment to combat child poverty, Ontario will ensure that families receiving social assistance fully benefit from the proposed new federal Canada Child Benefit (CCB), without any provincial ‘clawback’. “I am proud that Ontario has taken action to make these important changes, and that we are working with the federal government to fight child poverty. Putting the full amount of the Canada Child Benefit in the hands of families instead of clawing it back to subsidize existing provincial programs is a crucial way to help the most vulnerable children and families in our province,” stated Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Community and Social Services.
As a result, almost 260,000 children in families who receive social assistance will benefit from the full amount of their CCB payment.
The CCB is expected to take effect July 1, 2016. Ontario has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the full amount of the CCB benefit will be paid directly to families and will not affect the amount of, or eligibility for:
- Ontario Works benefits
- Ontario Disability Support Program benefits
- Child care subsidies under the Child Care and Early Years Act
- Healthy Smiles Ontario, the province’s dental program for low-income youth
- Rent-geared-to-income subsidies
- Portable housing benefits.
The provincial changes, which include regulatory changes, have already been made so that they will apply to the very first CCB payment to families. The maximum annual benefit will be $6,400 per child under the age of six and $5,400 per child aged six to 17. The vast majority of families receiving social assistance in Ontario will receive these maximum amounts.
QUICK FACTS
- The proposed Canada Child Benefit would replace the Canada Child Tax Benefit, including the National Child Benefit Supplement, and the Universal Child Care Benefit.
