OP-ED from MP Parm Gill – The Government of Canada Extends the Universal Child Care Benefit Application Deadline

Our Conservative Government is extending the application deadline to receive the enhanced and expanded Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) until May 15, 2015, so that more families can receive their UCCB cheque in July.
Currently, there are approximately 3.8 million families with children who will automatically begin receiving the UCCB payments. However, the Government of Canada estimates that there are 200,000 eligible families who are at risk of not receiving the Benefit.
Under the proposed enhancements to the UCCB, families would receive almost $2,000 per year for each child under 6, and $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17. The new benefit amounts would be retroactive to January 1, 2015 and reflected in monthly payments to recipients in July 2015.
The proposed enhancements to the UCCB are expected to more than double the number of families who benefit from over 1.6 million to around 4 million and as a result there will be some Canadian families eligible for UCCB who will need to apply or confirm their eligibility.
If you are not currently receiving the UCCB, or if you have never applied for the Canada Child Tax Benefit and still have children under 18 in your care, please go to www.canada.ca/taxsavings in order to find out how you can apply.
Our Government believes parents are best positioned to decide what kind of child care is best for their children and for their family’s individual situation. I encourage all parents to take a look at their unique situation and to take advantage of this great benefit