Press Release
Beginning this month, low-income families will receive more money through the Ontario Child Benefit to help with the cost of raising their children.
The benefit will reach 1.3 million kids and is almost doubling to a maximum of $1,100 per child this year, up from a maximum of $600 last year.
Parents don’t need to apply for the Ontario Child Benefit. To be eligible, they must:
•file their income taxes;
•register for the Canada Child Tax Benefit;
•have a child under age 18; and
•live in Ontario
The Ontario Child Benefit is the cornerstone of Ontario’s poverty reduction strategy, which aims to break the cycle of poverty by giving families and children the support they need to reach their full potential.
The strategy sets a target of reducing the number of children living in poverty by 25 percent over five years—that’s 90,000 kids.
“We’re giving families more support during these challenging economic times,” said Children and Youth Services minister Deb Matthews.
“This can mean extra healthy groceries every month, or the opportunity for kids to take part in some summer or after-school activities that weren’t an option before,” she noted.
Families with an annual income of $20,000 or less will receive the full Ontario Child Benefit for each child.
Those earning more also may be eligible, based on the number of children under 18 and the family’s net income.
Funding equivalent to the maximum Ontario Child Benefit also is provided to children and youth in the care of children’s aid societies.
