Canada Child Benefit payments increase to help with rising costs

Eligible families across Canada can expect to see higher Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payments starting Monday.

Families with children under six can now receive up to $8,157 per child annually, while those with children between the ages of six and 17 can receive up to $6,883 per child.

This is an increase of up to $160 for younger children and up to $135 for older children compared to last year.

“To put that in perspective, a family with a five-year-old and a nine-year-old and a family net income of around $65,000 will receive nearly $400 more than they did last year,” says Leslie Church, MP for Toronto St. Paul’s.

“Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life and our job as a government is to make that just a little bit easier.”

Families earning less than $37,000 annually qualify for the maximum benefit.

READ MORE: 12M Canadians to get one-time Grocery and Essentials Benefit

Church says CCB has been indexed every year to inflation since 2018 to keep pace with rising costs.

Payments are based on family income, the number of children and their ages.

“Families are at the heart of everything we do and make up the largest part of our fanbase. For many parents, the cost of raising children continues to grow. Registration fees, sports equipment, summer camps and every day expenses add up quickly,” says Sofie Samek, director of business operations for the Hamilton Cardinals.

“That’s why an increase to the Canada Child Benefit can make a meaningful difference. It can help more families register their children for summer camps, purchase the necessary equipment to participate in sports and give more kids the opportunity to stay active, healthy and connected with their communities.”

Federal officials say the increase will help families cover everyday expenses such as groceries, clothing and school supplies.

READ MORE: Canada’s inflation drops to 2.8% in June as gas prices fall: StatCan