The Nova Scotia Child Benefit will be increasing starting on July 20.
The benefit is to support children under the age of 18 in low income families.
Thanks to an $18 million investment announced in the 2020-21 budget, it is the largest increase since the benefit was created in 1998.
Minister of Community Services Kelly Regan says that the Nova Scotia government has been working diligently towards reducing child poverty.
“In 2018 Nova Scotia made the most progress in reducing child poverty of any province the country, and we wanted to continue that trend and continue to reduce child poverty. That’s why we decided to increase the Nova Scotia Child Benefit.”
The increase allows more families to become eligible to receive the benefit, and see an an increase in the amount they receive.
Only those earning under $26,000 or less qualified previously, but that has now been increased to $34,000.
The first child for all eligible families will see their benefit raise from $625 per year to $925 annually. Families will also receive between $412 and $900 for each additional child annually, depending on income level.
Regan says that often every penny counts when you are living on a lower income.
“What this does mean here in Nova Scotia is that an additional 6,100 families, including 10,000 children, will now be getting the Nova Scotia Child Benefit.”
The benefit is tied to the filing of 2019 personal income tax return, so those families who decided to take advantage of the extended tax deadline must file them before receiving it.
