Budget 2018: Progress for the Middle Class

News release

March 15, 2018    London, Ontario    Employment and Social Development Canada

The Government of Canada’s plan to build a strong middle class is working: it is creating jobs, growing the economy, and building Canadians’ confidence in the future.

The Government is now taking the next step to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to contribute to—and benefit from—a growing economy. This means providing those Canadians working hard to join the middle class with greater opportunities for success. Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development was in London to discuss Budget 2018 and how the Government is taking the steps to bring new opportunities and equality to strengthen Canada’s middle class.

Through Budget 2018, the Government is proposing to strengthen programs that make the biggest difference in people’s lives, and is making benefits easier to access by:

·       Providing more help to the families that need it most. As announced in the 2017 Fall Economic Statement, the Government will strengthen the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) by increasing the benefits annually to keep pace with the rising cost of living starting in July 2018. This will help families invest in the things that give children a good start in life—things like a safe place to live, healthy food, music lessons or sports camps. Through Budget 2018, the Government is proposing actions to help ensure that everyone who is entitled to the CCB and other federal social benefits receives these benefits, by expanding outreach efforts to Indigenous communities and conducting pilot outreach activities for urban Indigenous communities.

·       Giving more than $23 billion in CCB payments to over 3.3 billion families, helping them to give their children a good start in life.

·       Providing single mothers approximately $1.8 billion more in benefits annually under the CCB. This means that a single mom of two children aged 5 and 8 with a net income of $35,000 is receiving $11,125 in tax-free CCB payments in the 2017–18 benefit year—$3,535 more than she would have received under the previous child benefit system.

·       Working to make the CCB even stronger so that it keeps pace with the rising cost of living as of July of this year – that is, two years ahead of schedule.

·       Continuing to promote lifelong learning, making sure Canadians have the skills, programs and opportunities they need for good middle class jobs in the economy of tomorrow. The Government will map out the skills our economy needs, review the programs and services it provides, and help people match their skills to the right opportunities and trends. In particular, it will encourage more women to study and pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Quotes

“The Government is building a stronger economy that works for all Canadians. Federal investments in the Canada Child Benefit will ensure families that need it the most receive support to give children the best start in life.“
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The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister Families, Children and Social Development

Associated links

Contacts

Mathieu Filion
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
819-654-5546

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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