Canada Child Benefit (CCB) was launched and implemented on July 1, 2015, replacing the old Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) program. CCB offers recurring tax-exempt benefits to enable qualifying households to support their under 18 years old child financially. It works as an insurance for children that also includes disabilities benefits along with municipal and regional programs.

To identify your monthly family income, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) leverages your T1 income tax return details. Hence, it is essential to file your returns every year to get the CCB for your child.

Benefits are given in the span of 1 year starting from 1 July to June of next year. Partners may be validated in July depending upon payroll compensation and tax record of the past years. After that, CRA tabulates your earnings after the adjustment.

How many funds can you get from CCB in Canada?

To evaluate CCB proportions, CRA assesses variables including the number of children living in a house, their age group, qualification and net earnings of the family.

The government also offers four more grants for extra support to families with children under six years of age.
  • $300 per kid is offered to families with an income of $120,000 or less
  • $150 per child for families with $120,000 net income or more
The maximum benefit awarded in 2020-21 was $6,765 per child aged six or less. Whereas $5,708 was given to children between 6 and 17 years old.
When Should You Apply for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) Program?

You are eligible for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) under the below-mentioned circumstances:
  • When a baby is born
  • The child starts staying with their parents or gets back after staying with someone for a short time.
  • You stop, start, or modify a custody procedure
  • You get new custody of a child
  • Common-law partner or married partner begins to qualify program’s conditions.
You can apply through birth registration, online application, or via mail.

You also need to provide extra documentation during the application process if your child is already living with you for over 11 months. After you register for CCB, CRA identifies your qualification.

Here are other circumstances in which you need to provide extra documents:
  • The other partner is responsible for primary childcare and needs of the child
  • Returning residents to Canada
  • When the child has been rescued from a violent or abusive environment
  • You and your spouse are common-law partners
  • What are the Eligibility Criteria for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) Program?
To get the CCB for your kid, you need to ensure the following conditions:
  • Living with a child under 18 years of age
  • Child’s schooling and care is your sole responsibility
  • You reside in Canada for tax reasons
Moreover, your partner needs to meet these conditions:
  • Permanent citizen and resident of Canada
  • Protected individual
  • A transient citizen who has been living for 18 months in Canada with a valid visa in the 19th month
  • An individual who obeys the Indian Act
If a child’s special allowances (CSA) are due for a month, you will become ineligible to get CCB for the foster children.

When you stay with a minor child and take care under a close relationship or familial bond scheme, you may become eligible to get CCB if CS is not paying for children already.
Who is in charge of caring for the child?

CCB should be applied by the person responsible for caring for the child. Here are the things the person should be responsible for:

  • Supervising and supporting daily tasks or requirements of the child
  • The healthcare needs of the child are taken care of
  • Child care set up if required

What happens when a female parent is residing with the minor?

When a child lives with both female and male parents, it is assumed that the female person takes care of bringing up and caring for the child. This is why females should become candidates for CCB.

However, when the male parent takes care of the child, the female partner needs to present the notarized statement that the male is taking care of the child in the household.

If two parents are of the same sex, then any of the parents can apply for CCB for all children of the family.

Demographic Impacts of the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) Program

Families that get support from CCB have many family incentives and earnings that go deep down in the working society. Over half of the families getting CCB to make around $60,000 or more.

Low-income households are eligible for greater CCB benefits. Around 60 percent of cumulative CCB payouts are given to families with incomes less than $50,000. Only one percent of the CCB benefits go to families with over $150,000 in revenue.

CCB is a good initiative for parents who are unable to afford proper childcare without taking any mandatory daycare program. CCB is also helping reduce child poverty by helping them give proper childcare. This is why less fortunate children number has reduced from 11 percent to 9 percent during the 2016-17 time period.

There are many more factors that have helped in reducing child poverty. However, CCB is one of the primary reasons behind the change in recent times.

Endnote

Robust implementation of the CCB has enabled families to give quality child care to less privileged families. It is targeted at families with small to medium-sized incomes. CCB benefits are based on the stages and wages of the family; hence, they may vary as per the family income.

CCB benefits may not be provided to partners in relationships and marriages in case the combined adjustment translates into more significant household revenue. Parents from all over Canada are eligible for the benefits if they meet the required terms and conditions. In the future, CCB is likely to become one of the most popular benefits for Canadian families to support childcare and daycare.