Lumpsum child care benefit of about $500 per child hits parents’ bank accounts and mailboxes, totalling $3 billion in a single day
July 20, 2015 Halifax, Nova Scotia Employment and Social Development Canada
The Honourable Pierre Poilievre Minister of Employment and Social Development, and Scott Armstrong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development and Member of Parliament for Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley, celebrated the first installment of the Harper Government’s boosted Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) today. The newly increased child care benefit pays almost $2000 every year for each child under 6 and $720 for each child aged 6 through 17. With a retroactive payment from January 1, 2015, the Harper Government transferred almost $3 billion to 3.8 million families today—the largest single-day direct payment to families in history.
Starting today, payments of $520 for each child under 6, and $420 for each child aged 6 through 17 will be delivered to families across Canada. That means a family with two kids should receive as much as $1,000 today. Parents can spend this money on anything they choose, including child care services, back-to-school supplies, sports activities and much more, boosting the economy and creating jobs across Canada.
About 3.8 million families will benefit from the boosted UCCB—double the number of families that previously qualified. While the majority of families in Canada are waking up to this welcomed boost to their bank accounts, an estimated 200,000 families may have missed out because they did not apply. Families that are not currently receiving the UCCB, that have never received the UCCB, or that have never applied for the Canada Child Tax Benefit and have children under 18 in their care are encouraged to go to www.canada.ca/taxsavings to find out how to apply.
In addition to the boosted UCCB, families recently received nearly $2 billion in tax refunds this spring through the Family Tax Cut. The Family Tax Cut allows couples with children under 18 to split their income and reduce their tax burden by as much as $2,000. Payments to families will also continue under the Child Tax Benefit, which remains unchanged.
“Now that the Harper Government has balanced the budget, we are helping families balance theirs. Starting today, parents should check their mailboxes and bank accounts to make sure they received Prime Minister Harper`s boosted child care benefit.”
– The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development
“Our Government is making life more affordable for hard-working moms and dads in Nova Scotia, and across the country, by increasing the Universal Child Care Benefit. More families will now be able to benefit and have more money to spend on their priorities as a family.”
– Scott Armstrong, Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament for Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley
Aaron Bell
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Employment and Social Development
819-994-2482
aaron.bell@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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