Ontario child benefit starts in July

Community Action, March 20, 2008

The new monthly Ontario Child Benefit begins in July 2008.

The Ontario Child Benefit will provide $100 a month to a family with two children under 18 and with an income of under $20,000. This amount will grow to about $180 a month in July 2011 when the benefit is fully implemented. Families earning more than $20,000 may also be eligible, based on the number of children.

"The Ontario Child Benefit is the cornerstone of our long-term plan to lift low-income families out of poverty by creating more opportunities," Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews said. The Ontario Child Benefit will represent a total annual investment of $2.1 billion to help nearly 1.3 million Ontario children living in 600,000 low-income families when fully implemented.

Matthews is also the Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction, which includes the Ministers of Health, Education, Finance and others.

The qualified families must file income taxes by April 30th and register for the Canada Child Benefit.

The Ontario Child Benefit will be sent out with the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement.

www.ontariochildbenefit.ca