Effective on July 2016, the Trudeau Government rolled out the new Canadian Child Benefit program (CCB). The main purpose of this is to strengthen the middle class, which was one of the focuses of the 2016 Federal Budget.

This program is to replace the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) and non-taxable Canada Child Tax Benefit, helping families with a net income under $65,000 per year. As mentioned in the 2016 Canadian Federal Budget, CCB  will offer up to $6,400 a year per children under the age of 6, and $5,400 a year for those children aged 6 to 18.

The previous UCCB paid $160 per child per month to families with children under 6, and $60 aper month to families with children aged 6 – 17, regardless of the income level (CBC). The new CCB shifts the focus towards families earning less than $190,000.

Household incomes over $30,000 will not receive the full benefit, and household incomes over $190,000 will not receive any CCB. In other words lower income families will benefit greatly benefit from the new CCB, where higher income families will receive less benefits, or no benefit at all in some cases.

The Trudeau Government claimed that “families benefiting will see an average increase of almost $2,300 in the 2016-17 benefit year.” This aligns with the Trudeau Government’s objective to strengthen the Canadian Middle Class, ensuring that the economy is still strong.

In March, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said “this is a plan to help families more than any other public policy since public health care.” The Trudeau Government estimated that there will be 300,000 less children in poverty during 2017, compared to 2014 – as a result of the new CCB.

Although the new CCB is expected to indirectly raise consumer spending – the new program is expected to cost approximately $22.4 billion over five years (CBC). The question many economics may consider – will the benefits to the Canadian Economy (and the Canadian Middle Class) be greater than $22.4 billion over the next five years?

At a news conference in Ottawa, Stephen Poloz, governor of the Bank of Canada stated that there would be secondary effects when families spend their CCB (CBC).

The benefit received by the Canadian Economy and Canadian Middle Class depend on the changes in consumer spending.

We’re putting more money in the pockets of families like yours with the new Canada Child Benefit. #CCB pic.twitter.com/x3LYIW1z2M

— Bill Morneau (@Bill_Morneau) July 19, 2016

Use this Canada Child Benefit Calculator provided by the Government of Canada to estimate your benefits, which depends on the family income, and number of children (under the age of 6, and between the ages of 6 – 17).

Taking advantage of Government Incentives are one of the many effective ways Millennials (and Middle Class families) can increase their income, helping them save more.

You may also be interested in: 3 Main Focuses of the 2016 Federal Budget

Writer: Jelani Smith 

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