News release

Revenue Minister announces increase in Canada Child Tax Benefit payments

Ottawa, July 21, 1999...The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of National Revenue and M.P. (Vancouver South - Burnaby) announced 1.27 million low-income families who receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) will see an increase in their federal monthly payments beginning July 20 as a result of an enhancement of up to $15 a month per child to the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS).

As outlined in the February 1999 Budget, an additional $425 million has been invested in the CCTB program for 1999. For July, Revenue Canada will issue almost $516 million in CCTB payments to more than 2.9 million recipients across Canada.

The NCBS component of the CCTB is the federal government's contribution to the NCB initiative. As part of that initiative, provinces, territories and First Nations reinvest social assistance savings in complementary programs and services for low-income families with children.

"Federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working together to help low-income families provide a better start in life for their children through the National Child Benefit initiative," said Minister Dhaliwal. "Revenue Canada is proud to share in this commitment to helping Canada's children."

Two new provincial and territorial child benefit programs will be launched for July. Payments for the Nunavut Child Benefit and the Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit will be included for the first time with the July CCTB payments. Entitlements for the following provincial and territorial child benefit programs are also combined with the CCTB payment:

• the BC Family Bonus;
• the New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit;
• the Northwest Territories Child Benefit;
• the Nova Scotia Child Benefit; and
• the Saskatchewan Child Benefit.

Clients who are expecting a benefit payment and have not received it by July 27 should contact Revenue Canada's CCTB enquiry service at the following numbers:

Outside these areas, clients can call 1-800-387-1193 toll free for service in English and 1-800-387-1194 for service in French. This service is available weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (local time).

Questions relating to provincial and territorial social assistance changes and reinvestment programs should be addressed directly to those governments.

CCTB07/99