Speech from Minister Jean-Yves Duclos: The second anniversary of the Canada Child Benefit

Montréal, Québec
June 18, 2018
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Hello everyone,

I am happy to be here today and to see so many children and families.

I would like to acknowledge that we are on traditional territory of the Algonquin and Mohawk people.

I would also like to thank the Science Centre for welcoming us this morning. It’s always a pleasure to visit a place that offers so many innovative and attractive programs.

Every day, you contribute to developing the next generation of researchers, scientists, engineers and technologists by sharing your passion with youth who may make a career out of these fields. Thank you very much for your work.

In 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and our government announced a plan to help the middle class and those who are working hard to join it.

One of our first actions as a government was to raise taxes on the richest so that we could lower them on hard working middle class Canadians.

In 2016, we introduced the Canada Child Benefit to help families cover the costs of raising children.

The new benefit redirected amounts formerly allocated to wealthy families to middle-class families and families working hard to join the middle class.

In other words, we make sure the money goes into the pockets of those who need it the most.

Thanks to the benefit, nine out of ten families are getting more money than they used to. This represents almost $2,300 more in the pockets of hard-working Canadian families since the introduction of the new benefit in July 2016.

What is more, we ended the Spring surprise most Canadian families faced when they filed their taxes. We did this by making the Canada Child Benefit tax free.

Since 2016, we have seen the positive effects of the Canada Child Benefit. More than 500,000 Canadians—including 300,000 children—have been lifted out of poverty.

The Canada Child Benefit has especially helped Canadian families pay for organized sports, summer day camps and healthy food for their children.

The impacts of the Canada Child Benefit are felt across the country, but the realities of its effects can be seen right here in so many of our homes.

That is why I am so proud that, in the 2018 budget, we committed to indexing the CCB to the cost of living. This means that the amount families get will increase year after year, to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Today, I am pleased to announce that Canadians will see the first increase to Canada Child Benefit starting on July 20^th, two years ahead of schedule.

Indexing the Canada Child Benefit will provide an additional $5.6 million to support Canadians and their families over the next five years.

For example, in 2017 a single parent with two children ages 3 and 8 making $35,000 a year received $11,125 in tax-free benefits. That’s $3,535 more than under the previous child benefit.

Thanks to the benefit being indexed, which is taking place two years ahead of schedule, this parent will receive an additional $560.

A larger, tax-free benefit means that families can get up to $6,500 per year per child under the age of 6, and almost $5,500 per year per child between the ages of 6 and 17.

Thanks to the CCB and its adjustment to the rising cost of living, Canadian families will have more money in their pockets year after year.

You will be the ones to decide how to invest this money, since you are the ones who know what is best for your children.

Thank you.