The Ontario Child Benefit (OCB)
Key Message - September 2008
The Ontario Child Benefit is a major reform to the way assistance is provided to low-income families because children can qualify whether their parents are working or not. This means that people can move off welfare without worrying about losing support for their kids.
In July 2008, about 465,000 families with 960,000 children received their first monthly Ontario Child Benefit payment.
For families with children under the age of 18 the new monthly payments that equal up to $600 this year (per child), growing to up to $1,100 a year (per child) by 2011, will help all eligible low-income families with the cost of raising their children.
The Transition Child Benefit (TCB)
If you are eligible to receive or you are currently receiving social assistance and you are waiting for your monthly Ontario Child Benefit payments to start…
You will receive the Transition Child Benefit from social assistance while you wait. When your monthly Ontario Child Benefit payments start, you will receive a lump-sum Ontario Child Benefit/NCBS payment that covers the months you waited.
Since you already received the Transition Child Benefit for the same period, your next social assistance payment will be reduced to avoid a duplication of benefits . This is to treat all families on social assistance fairly. Your local office staff can explain how this may affect you.
Quick Facts
- The Ontario Child Benefit is being delivered for the province by the Canada Revenue Agency and appears on the same cheque as the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement.
- Eligible families need to file their income tax returns before they can receive the Ontario Child Benefit.
- Families must also register for the Canada Child Tax Benefit.
- Funding equivalent to the maximum Ontario Child Benefit is also provided to children and youth in the care of children’s aid societies
- The National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) will no longer be deducted from your social assistance.
- The portion of “Basic Needs” for your child will be removed from social assistance.
- The Back-to-School Allowance and the Winter Clothing Allowance will be removed from social assistance.
For Inquiries About… |
You Can Contact… |
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Or access information online:
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To learn more about the OCB you can:
- Visit the Ministry of Children and Youth Services website at: http://www.gov.on.ca/children
- Visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services website at: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca
- Access the online calculator to see if you are eligible, or
- Contact your local Ontario Works office.
Transition Benefit |
OCB - Key Message - May 2008
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