INTENT

To ensure each IS household unit with children receives up to the threshold amount per dependent child if they do not receive at least the threshold amount from the Canada Child Benefit.

BACKGROUND

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment to assist families with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. In some cases, the federal Child Disability Benefit may be included as part of the CCB monthly payment.

Canada Child Benefits are paid over a 12-month period from July of one year to June of the next year. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reassesses eligibility each July.

The IS program can provide a Child Supplement Allowance (CSA) benefit to some households with dependent children. The amount of the IS CSA depends on the amount the household receives through the federal CCB.

To be eligible for the CCB, a household must file income taxes every year. If household information changes during the year, the CRA recalculates benefit eligibility for the month after the change occurs. The IS program adjusts the CSA amount if this occurs.

Each June, IS sends letters to applicable IS household units advising that they will receive their final CSA benefit payment in July and that this supplementary benefit will be removed from their August budget. Further issuance of this benefit requires reassessment.

POLICY

The Child Supplement Allowance is issued during the period between August of one year and July of the next year to eligible IS program applicants or recipients with children:

• Who do not qualify for the Canada Child Benefit, or
• Who qualify for a monthly Canada Child Benefit payment, but the Canada Child Benefit payment is less than the threshold IS amount.
  

Note
Some households with dependent children will not receive the IS Child Supplement Allowance. This occurs if the amount that each dependent child receives through the Canada Child Benefit exceeds the threshold amount set by the IS program. 

The IS threshold amount is described below under Rate.

Duration of Eligibility
An IS household unit is eligible to receive the Child Supplement Allowance until:

• They qualify for monthly Canada Child benefits up to or beyond the Child Supplement Allowance threshold amount; or
• They reach the maximum duration (noted below) for receiving the Child Supplement Allowance; or
• They no longer qualify for IS benefits and their program file closes; or
• They reach the following July benefit period.
  

Note
In all scenarios listed above, the Child Supplement Allowance is issued without repayment required.

Substantiation
The following is required to determine a household unit’s eligibility (if any):

• A copy of the applicant’s Canada Revenue Agency CCB Notice, verifying the household’s Canada Child Benefit entitlement for the current benefit period; or
• A print-out from the applicant’s personal, on-line account with the Canada Revenue Agency, verifying the household’s Canada Child Benefit entitlement; or
• Substantiation from the Canada Child Benefit Help Desk via the completed Canada Child Benefit Verification form.
  

Common Service Delivery staff, who operate the Canada Child Benefit Help Desk have access to specific Canada Revenue Agency information and can verify:

• Eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit;
• Why an IS household does not qualify for the Canada Child Benefit or why it is less than the threshold amount;
• The monthly Canada Child Benefit amount per dependent child that an IS household is eligible to receive; and
• If clarification is required, Help Desk staff can be reached at 780-644-5136
  
  Note
  If there is a change in family composition such as an addition of a dependent child to the household unit at any point during the year, updated substantiation is required.
  

Rate
Actual amount, up to a maximum of $228.00 per dependent child per month

Determining the amount of a Child Supplement Allowance

The monthly Child Supplement Allowance amount is the difference between the IS threshold amount (per month per dependent child) and the actual Canada Child Benefit amount that the household unit is receiving (per month per dependent child).

For each dependent child:

Child Supplement Allowance = IS threshold amount – Canada Child Benefit amount

Need Code
1738 Child Supplement Allowance

PROCEDURES

Career Employment Consultants and/or Supports and Financial Services Coordinators determine the Child Supplement Allowance amount that applicants and recipients are eligible to receive (if any)

1. Determine the amount of Canada Child Benefit the household is receiving.
   
   If the applicant or recipient does not provide substantiation from the Canada Revenue Agency, the IS Worker must submit the Canada Child Benefit Verification form to the Canada Child Benefit Help Desk who can verify Canada Child Benefit eligibility for an applicant or recipient.
   
   The worker will receive a return email verification and reference number, then within 48 hours, the Help Desk will send another email confirming the Canada Child Benefit amount that the IS applicant or recipient is eligible to receive. 
   
   Note
   Compass Comments should be made for each step of this verification process.
   
2. Calculate the Child Supplement Allowance amount that the household is eligible to receive (if any), by subtracting the amount received from Revenue Canada from the Child Supplement Allowance threshold amount per dependent child as per policy;
   
3. Issue the Child Supplement Allowance under Need Code 1738 for the months the household is eligible in accordance with IS program policy.
   
   Note
   This is a continuous benefit that can be added or adjusted at any time. It is removed from budgets annually in August for reassessment. It is removed from budgets before August if the maximum duration is reached.  If a household is only eligible for the allowance for 1 or 3 months, the Worker enters a reminder in Compass to ensure the budget is updated accordingly.
   
4. Record the following in Compass:

• How the Canada Child Benefit amount received by the household was substantiated
• The monthly dollar value for Canada Child Benefits received by the household unit; and
• The amount and duration of eligibility for the Child Supplement Allowance.