The federal government is raising the Canada Child Benefit to keep up with the cost of living.
Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement in Quispamsis, N.B., on Tuesday.
“A family earning $55,000 with two kids currently would have about $700 non-taxable per month,” said Duclos. “That will increase by about $30 more in July of 2019.”
Duclos said the benefit helps an estimated 14,000 children in the riding of Fundy Royal every month.
“This is pretty much a middle-class environment where families sometimes struggle to make ends meet and to pay for rent, to pay for tuition, to pay for clothing, to pay for quality foods, to pay for day camps,” he said.
The Canada Child Benefit is helping 14,000 children in #FundyRoyal with an average payment of $590 per month, per family. This tax-free benefit helps families who need it most, and this July, will be adjusted for the second time since introducing the #CCB in 2016! pic.twitter.com/GvPcEwUq1J
— Alaina Lockhart, MP (@AlainaLockhart) May 21, 2019
Fundy Royal MP Alaina Lockhart, who joined Duclos for the announcement, said the benefit does more than just help the children.
“It often is allowing the second parent to return to work,” Lockhart said. “We have seen a growth in our population for the first time in New Brunswick and our workforce is growing as well.”
The Canada Child Benefit was first introduced in July of 2016.