The Canada Child Benefit (CCB), a federal program that helps millions of Canadians raise children, has significantly changed this year.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has altered the rules surrounding the death of an eligible CCB recipient.
“Your entitlement CCB payments stops the month after the child’s date of death,” the CRA previously stated. “You should notify us of the date of death so that we can update our records.”
However, starting January 2025, the eligibility for the CCB will be extended for six months after a child’s death if the individual claiming the CCB for that child is otherwise eligible.
The parent or legal guardian of the deceased child will still be required to notify the CRA of the child’s death before the end of the month after the passing.
Child disability benefit payments, which usually arrive in tandem with the federal child tax, will also continue in the six months following the death.
This change was proposed as part of the federal budget last year.
Just two years earlier, the then-finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, responded to an e-petition asking for an extension on CCB benefits when an eligible child passes away.
“Losing a child generates unexpected monetary expenses for grieving families, most of whom had been already struggling with the cost of caring for a seriously ill child,” the 2021 petition filed in the House of Commons read.
It argued that the funeral and burial costs for a child should be considered as part of the costs associated with raising the deceased child.
“Funeral costs, as well as other expenses associated with death, can be significant, and there is no public program to help families to cover said expenses when a child dies. It would be in line with the spirit of the CCB program to continue providing payments for two months after the death of a child to help with the burden of funeral costs,” it further stated.
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Freeland’s response to the petition outlined a list of existing benefits for parents and caregivers of ill, injured, or deceased children, such as extended Employment Insurance benefits for maternity, mourning, and sickness.
“The death or disappearance of a child is devastating and can often leave parents grief-stricken and unable to work. The Government of Canada will continue to ensure appropriate support is provided to grieving families,” she said.
The six-month extension far exceeds the two-month increase requested in the petition.
The maximum annual CCB amount recipients can get also changes in July.