Canada Child Benefit
Budget 2016 introduced the Canada Child Benefit, a key initiative of the Government to strengthen the middle class and help those working to join it.
There is no need to apply if you already get child benefits, but you and your spouse or common law partner have to file a tax return every year to continue to receive it.
The Canada Child Benefit is:
- simple — most families receive a single payment every month
- tax-free — families don’t have to pay taxes on payments received when they file their tax returns
- targeted to those who need it most — low and middle-income families get higher payments, and those with the highest incomes (generally over $150,000) receive less than under the previous system
Family Caregiver Benefit for Children
The Family Caregiver Benefit for Children (the Benefit) allows eligible caregivers to receive up to 35 weeks of financial assistance to provide care or support to a critically ill or injured child. Caregivers must be family members or someone who is considered to be like family to the child needing care or support.
Family Caregiver Benefit for Adults
The Family Caregiver Benefit for Adults (the Benefit) allows eligible caregivers to receive up to 15 weeks of financial assistance to provide care or support to a critically ill or injured adult. Caregivers must be family members or someone who is considered to be like family by the person needing care or support.
EI Regular Benefits
Employment Insurance (EI) provides regular benefits to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own (for example, due to shortage of work, seasonal or mass lay-offs) and are available for and able to work, but can’t find a job.
EI Sickness Benefit
The Employment Insurance (EI) program offers temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers. This assistance includes providing sickness benefits to people unable to work because of sickness, injury, or quarantine.
If you cannot work because of sickness, injury or quarantine, but you would otherwise be available to work, you could be eligible to receive up to a maximum of 15 weeks of EI sickness benefits.
EI Maternity and Parental Benefits
EI maternity benefits are offered to biological mothers, including surrogate mothers, who cannot work because they are pregnant or have recently given birth. A maximum of 15 weeks of EI maternity benefits is available. Benefits can be paid as early as 12 weeks before the expected date of birth, and can end as late as 17 weeks after the actual date of birth. The weekly benefit rate is 55% of the claimant’s average weekly insurable earnings up to a maximum amount.
EI parental benefits are offered to parents who are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child or children.
There are two options available for receiving parental benefits: standard or extended.
- Standard parental benefits can be paid for a maximum of 35 weeks and must be claimed within a 52 week period (12 months) after the week the child was born or placed for the purpose of adoption. The weekly benefit rate is 55% of the claimant’s average weekly insurable earnings up to a maximum amount. The two parents can share these 35 weeks of standard parental benefits.
- Extended parental benefits can be paid for a maximum of 61 weeks and must be claimed within a 78-week period (18 months) after the week the child was born or placed for the purpose of adoption. The benefit rate is 33% of the claimant’s average weekly insurable earnings up to a maximum amount. The two parents can share these 61 weeks of extended parental benefits.
- You can choose to claim extended parental benefits only if your child was born or placed with you for the purpose of adoption on or after December 3, 2017.
EI compassionate care benefit
Compassionate care benefits are Employment Insurance (EI) benefits paid to people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death. A maximum of 26 weeks of compassionate care benefits may be paid to eligible people.
What is “care or support”?
Care or support of a family member means:
- providing psychological or emotional support; or
- arranging for care by a third party; or
- directly providing or participating in the care.
Who is considered a family member?
You can receive compassionate care benefits for a variety of family members—both yours and those of your spouse or common-law partner.
Goods and services tax/Harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit
The GST/HST credit is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset all or part of the GST or HST that they pay.
You no longer have to apply for the GST/HST credit. The Canada Revenue Agency will automatically determine your eligibility when you file your next income tax and benefit return for the 2014 and later tax years.