How much can you get as childcare benefits and allowances in Québec or in Canada?

Last Updated: June 2020

It is not easy to find this information because it doesn’t seem to be very clear at all, so if you see something off, please let me know.

I won’t be doing every province in detail, just Québec but at the end I will list links and other programs I found along the way.

In Québec for residents, I managed to find the following programs:

1. Canada Child Benefit (CCB) — Used to be the UCCB (Universal Childcare Benefit)
2. Family Allowance — A Québec government plan that supplements the federal CCB
3. School Supplies Allowance – A Québec government plan that helps with school supplies
4. Daycare tax credit – A Québec government plan that helps defray daycare costs

1. Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

Applies to all provinces and territories for children under the age of 18 and is not taxable.

The Child Care Benefit (CCB) used to be called the UCCB (Universal Childcare Benefit) but UCCB was phased out in July 2016, although you could have received payments retroactively if you had a child before then.

If your adjusted family net income (AFNI) is under $31,120, you get the maximum payment for each child. It will not be reduced.

For each child:

• under 6 years of age: $6,639 per year ($553.25 per month)
• 6 to 17 years of age: $5,602 per year ($466.83 per month)

The 2 main changes from UCCB to CCB:

CCB is now Income-based on a sliding scale 

Before 2015, the UCCB program used to pay $100/month for each child from 0-6.

Then after July 2015, they increased it to $160/month for each child aged 0-6 and $60/month for each child aged 6 to 17.

This has all changed to be income-based now. You can calculate your estimated CCB here.

No longer taxable

All UCCB payments were taxable. Now, they’re not. YAY!

2. Family Allowance

For Québec residents only and is given to all children under the age of 18 and is not taxable.

Family Allowance is a supplemental program to the CCB and is also based on a sliding income scale based off your tax return.

There are minimum and maximum amounts you can get:

Maximum amounts

• 1st child $2515
• 2nd child $2515
• 3rd child $2515
• 4th and subsequent children $2515
• Single-parent family + $882

Minimum amounts

• 1st child $1000
• 2nd child $1000
• Single-parent family + $352

You can calculate your estimated Family Allowance here.

3. School Supplies Allowance

The School Supplies Allowance are for Québec residents only and is given to all children between the ages of 4 and 16 as a flat $104 per child. Your child doesn’t need to go to school to get the benefit, as you could wait (like we did) to send Little Bun to school at 6 instead of 4.

4. Daycare Subsidy

In Québec we get a tax credit on the daycare fees paid based on a sliding income scale, and it covers any of these following “daycares”.

You can see the sliding scale of income and how much you will get back as a daycare tax credit.

What an average family might receive

• Valid calculation as of 2020
• Average family income of $61,400 taken because that’s the last Canadian Income Survey (CIS) for 2018
• Only one child considered
• Assumes same income for 18 years which isn’t realistic, but.. let’s go with it.

This family can expect to receive just about $166,689 in benefits over the 18 years of their child.

DETAILS

FAMILY ALLOWANCE

The $2052.72 payment per year for the Family Allowance is paid every 3 months.

DAYCARE SUBSIDY

I didn’t put any daycare subsidy in the first year because of maternity leave (usually it is 1 year), and then they start school at 6, so no more daycare.

I assumed daycare was $52/day for 20 days a month, 12 months a year. Again, maybe not realistic, as there can be vacation days, or maybe pauses in employment and the child isn’t kept in daycare.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

They end at age 16, so …. I put $0 for the last 2 years.

OTHER: Disabled/Handicapped Children

If your child is disabled in Canada you also have special considerations.

If your child is eligible for the disability tax credit, you may also be eligible for the child disability benefit.

For the period of July 2019 to June 2020, you could get up to $2,832 ($236.00 per month) for each child who is eligible for the disability tax credit.

Québec also as a supplementary program for handicapped children.

CHILD CARE BENEFITS AND HELP FROM OTHER PROVINCES IN CANADA

You can see other child and family benefits for Canada here, and you can see dropdown menus for each province, which is where I obtained this information.

They range from about $240 to $1155 a year, but nowhere (it seems) as generous as Québec (which is almost double at the maximum benefit) after a quick glance (I obviously am not running all the numbers in detail).

Provinces that don’t seem to give anything

• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Prince Edward Island

ALBERTA

Alberta Child Benefit (ACB)

The Alberta child benefit (ACB) is a tax-free amount paid to families that have children under 18 years of age and an annual family net income below $43,295. Unlike the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit (AFETC), there is no minimum working income requirement.

For July 2019 to June 2020, you may be entitled to receive:

• $1,155 ($96.25 per month) for the first child
• $577 ($48.08 per month) for the second child
• $577 ($48.08 per month) for the third child
• $577 ($48.08 per month) for the fourth child

The benefit is reduced as family income exceeds $26,769. If your adjusted family net income is between $26,769 and $43,295, you may receive a partial benefit.

Payments are made separately from the CCB and AFETC payments. ACB payments are made in August, November, February and May.

This program is fully funded by the Alberta provincial government.

Alberta family employment tax credit

The Alberta family employment tax credit (AFETC) is a tax-free amount paid to families that have working income and children under 18 years of age.

For July 2019 to June 2020, you may be entitled to receive the following amounts if you have a family working income of more than $2,760 in 2018:

• $801 ($66.75 per month) for one child
• $1,530 ($127.50 per month) for two children
• $1,967 ($163.91 per month) for three children
• $2,113 ($176.08 per month) for four or more children

The credit is reduced by 4% of the amount of the adjusted family net income that is more than $43,302. Payments are made separately from the CCB payments in July 2019 and January 2020.

This program is fully funded by the Alberta provincial government.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

BC early childhood tax benefit

The BC early childhood tax benefit (BCECTB) is a tax-free monthly payment to qualifying families to help with the cost of raising children under the age of six.

The amount is combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment. The BCECTB provides a benefit up to $55 per month per child under the age of 6. It is calculated based on the number of eligible children you have and your adjusted family net income.

This program is fully funded by the British Columbia provincial government.

NEW BRUNSWICK

New Brunswick child tax benefit (NBCTB)

The NBCTB is a tax-free amount paid monthly to qualifying families with children under 18 years of age. The New Brunswick working income supplement (NBWIS) is an additional benefit paid to qualifying families with earned income who have children under 18 years of age. Benefits are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

You may be entitled to a basic benefit of $20.83 per month for each child. The amount of the basic benefit is reduced if your adjusted family net income is more than $20,000.

The NBWIS is an additional benefit of up to $20.83 per month for each family. It is phased in once family earned income is more than $3,750. The maximum benefit is reached when family earned income is $10,000.

If your adjusted family net income is between $20,921 and $25,921, you may get part of the supplement.

These amounts are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

Your NBCTB payment may include a New Brunswick school supplement (NBSS) amount. The NBSS is paid once a year in July to help low income families with the cost of back to school supplies for their children. For the July 2019 NBSS payment, if your adjusted family net income for 2018 is $20,000 or less, you will get $100 for each of your children born between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2014.

This program is fully funded by the Province of New Brunswick.

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

Newfoundland and Labrador child benefit (and mother baby nutrition supplement)

This benefit is a tax-free amount paid monthly to help low-income families with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. The mother baby nutrition supplement (MBNS) is an additional benefit paid to qualifying families who have children under one year of age. Benefits are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

For July 2019 to June 2020, you may be entitled to:

• $33.75 per month for the first child;
• $35.83 per month for the second child;
• $38.50 per month for the third child; and
• $41.33 per month for each additional child.

If your adjusted family net income is more than $17,397, you may get part of the benefit.

Under the MBNS, you may be entitled to a benefit of $60 per month for each child under one year of age depending on your adjusted family net income.

This program is fully funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Northwest Territories child benefit

The Northwest Territories child benefit is a non-taxable amount paid monthly to qualifying low and middle income families with children under 18 years of age.

You may be entitled to receive the following monthly amounts:

Eligible children under the age of six:

• $67.91 for one child
• $122.25 for two children
• $166.41 for three children
• $203.75 for four children

plus

• $30.58 for each additional child

Eligible children aged 6 to 17:

• $54.33 for one child
• $97.83 for two children
• $133.08 for three children
• $163.00 for four children

plus

• $24.41 for each additional child

If your adjusted family net income is above $30,000, you may get part of the benefit.

These amounts are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

This program is fully funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

NOVA SCOTIA

Nova Scotia child benefit (NSCB)

This benefit is a tax-free amount paid monthly to help low- and modest-income families with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. These amounts are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

From July 2019 to June 2020, you may be entitled to a benefit of:

• $52.08 per month for the first child
• $68.75 per month for the second child; and
• $75.00 per month for each additional child

If your adjusted family net income is between $18,000 and $26,000, you may get part of the benefit.

This program is fully funded by the Nova Scotia provincial government.

NUNAVUT

Nunavut child benefit (NUCB)

This benefit is a non-taxable amount paid monthly to qualifying families with children under 18 years of age.

You may be entitled to a basic benefit of $27.50 per month for each child.

Families who have earned income of more than $3,750 may also get the territorial workers’ supplement of up to:

• $22.91 per month for one child; and
• $29.16 per month for two or more children.

If your adjusted family net income is above $20,921, you may get part of the benefit.

These amounts are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

This program is fully funded by Nunavut.

ONTARIO

Ontario child benefit (OCB)

The Ontario child benefit (OCB) is a tax-free amount paid to help low- to moderate-income families provide for their children.

OCB payments are delivered with the Canada child benefit in a single monthly payment. For July 2019 to June 2020, you may be eligible to receive up to $119.50 per month for each child under 18 years of age. If your adjusted family net income is above $21,887, you may receive a partial benefit.

The OCB program is funded entirely by the Province of Ontario. The CRA administers this program for Ontario.

YUKON

Yukon child benefit (YCB)

This benefit is a non-taxable amount paid monthly to help low- and modest-income families with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. These amounts are combined with the CCB into a single monthly payment.

You may be entitled to a benefit of $68.33 per month for each child. If your adjusted family net income is above $35,000, you may get part of the benefit.

This program is funded by the Yukon with a contribution from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada on behalf of Status Indian children.

And there you have it, a quick overview of Canada’s plans for children.