May 23, 2015– Vaughan, Ontario – Employment and Social Development Canada
An estimated 1,900 families with children in Vaughan and another 32,000 in Toronto are eligible to receive money under the Harper Government’s proposed enhanced Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), but are at risk of not receiving the benefit unless they apply. The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development, joined by the Honourable Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence, today asked for help from the media and the public to encourage families to apply for the Benefit, during a visit to the Mom 2 Mom Sale at Vellore Village Community Centre.
The majority of families with children, approximately 3.8 million, are known and will automatically receive the enhanced UCCB or be contacted by the Government to confirm their information. However, many eligible families are not currently captured by the Government’s UCCB system and may miss out on receiving money that is owed to them unless they apply. In 2015 alone, this represents potentially millions of dollars in unclaimed benefits.
Under the proposed enhancements to the UCCB, families would receive almost $2,000 per year for each child under 6 and $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17. The new benefit amounts would be retroactive to January 1, 2015, and would be reflected in monthly payments to families starting in July 2015. The proposed enhancements to the UCCB are expected to more than double the number of families that benefit, from 1.6 million to more than 4 million.
If your family is not currently receiving the UCCB, has never received the UCCB, or has never applied for the Canada Child Tax Benefit and you still have children under 18 in your care, please go to www.canada.ca/taxsavings in order to find out how you can apply. Families who sign up after the May 15th deadline are still eligible but will receive their payment after July.
Austin Jean
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of State for Social Development
819-953-2350
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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