Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Provincial Negotiations Spur Six-Month Wait For New Federal Child Benefit

The Canadian Press, 09 Dec, 2015 12:09 PM
    OTTAWA — The federal Liberals will take the next few months to negotiate with provinces over a new national child benefit after advocates raised concerns the government's plan could end up hurting those receiving provincial help.
     
    Advocates have worried that any increase in benefits from the federal government could have negative effects on those receiving social assistance through provinces or municipalities, such as child care or housing subsidies.
     
    Those subsidies are income tested, meaning the more a family earns, the less they receive in subsidies. The Liberals want to give more money to low-income earners through a new child benefit, but some provinces and cities may see the richer benefit as additional income and roll back subsidies to needy families.
     
    Such issues are part of the reason the new child benefit, which the Liberals made a key plank in their campaign platform to woo families, won't come into effect until July 1, said Families Minister Jean-Yves Duclos.
     
    "We need to do this in consultation with provinces. Many of the provinces base their own system on the basis of the federal benefits," Duclos said outside the House of Commons.
     
    "We want to ensure the provinces will be able to do their work appropriately and for that we need to be in touch with them and make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible."
     
    The new child benefit will replace the monthly universal child care benefit with an income-tested payment that will start at $6,400 a year for a child five and under, and $5,400 a year for children six to 17. Only those families earning less than $30,000 a year will receive the full amount; the government will reduce payments as incomes rise.
     
     
    Until July 1, the government will continue paying out the universal child care benefit, which is worth $160 per month for every child under six and $60 per month for every child six to 17.
     
    During the campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the new benefit would be fair because it wouldn't go to wealthy families — his own included.
     
    On Tuesday, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said the six-month wait for the promised Liberal benefit will mean the wealthiest families will continue receiving the universal child care benefit.
     
    "There's no reason he (Trudeau) couldn't have done it this week," Mulcair said. "If this was important to him, as he claims it is, why didn't he get it done this week?"
     
    He said the government should have some retroactive payment for low-income Canadians to compensate them for the money they missed out on during the first half of 2016 when the new child benefit was being worked out.
     
    Duclos said the details of the new benefit will be unveiled when the Liberals table their first budget.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Amid Hot Real Estate Sector, Montreal Properties Remain A Relative Bargain

    Amid Hot Real Estate Sector, Montreal Properties Remain A Relative Bargain
    As home sales in Toronto and Vancouver continue to hit record levels, the real estate sector in Canada's second-largest city remains an outlier, with prices almost $100,000 less than the national average.

    Amid Hot Real Estate Sector, Montreal Properties Remain A Relative Bargain

    Threat That Diverted Air France Flight To Montreal Declared False Alarm

    Threat That Diverted Air France Flight To Montreal Declared False Alarm
    At least 15 fire trucks and police cars met Flight 83 at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport late Monday, where authorities verified the aircraft, passengers and baggage

    Threat That Diverted Air France Flight To Montreal Declared False Alarm

    More Housing Starts In Vancouver, Stable Levels Elsewhere In Cities Across B.C.

    More Housing Starts In Vancouver, Stable Levels Elsewhere In Cities Across B.C.
    The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says starts in the Lower Mainland reached about 21,650 units in November, up about 60 units from the previous month.

    More Housing Starts In Vancouver, Stable Levels Elsewhere In Cities Across B.C.

    Alberta Couple Allowed By Court To Keep Brain-dead Daughter Alive For A Month

    Alberta Couple Allowed By Court To Keep Brain-dead Daughter Alive For A Month
    LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A couple in Lethbridge, Alta., will have a little more time with their eight-month-old daughter after a judge delayed a decision to take her off of life support.

    Alberta Couple Allowed By Court To Keep Brain-dead Daughter Alive For A Month

    B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan Says Clear Vision Helping Party Expose Liberal Weaknesses

    B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan Says Clear Vision Helping Party Expose Liberal Weaknesses
    Horgan says he will continue to support energy alternatives to the Liberals' $9-billion Site C hydroelectric dam.

    B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan Says Clear Vision Helping Party Expose Liberal Weaknesses

    Canadian Health Care Wait Times Need Improvement, Fraser Institute Reports Say

    Canadian Health Care Wait Times Need Improvement, Fraser Institute Reports Say
    Two separate reports being released Tuesday have used different strategies to reach the same conclusion — Canada's health care wait times leave much to be desired.

    Canadian Health Care Wait Times Need Improvement, Fraser Institute Reports Say