Canada Child Benefits Payment Dates 2024: When You’ll Get Paid

In 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revamped the previous Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), transforming it into a more simplified program which is called the Canada Child Benefit (CCB).

CCB payments are disbursed by the CRA and are typically issued during the third week of each month, which often falls between the 18th and 20th.

Below, I’ll outline all of the CRA’s posted Canada Child Benefits payment dates for 2024, and explain how to calculate your estimated CCB payments.

Canada Child Benefits (CCB) Payment Dates For 2023

The CRA just recently released its 2023 payment dates, following the same historical trend it’s followed for the past few years. Here are the upcoming dates for 2024:

  • Friday, January 20th (2023)
  • Monday, February 20th (2023)
  • Monday, March 20th (2023)
  • Thursday, April 20th (2023)
  • Friday, May 19th (2023)
  • Tuesday, June 20th (2023)
  • Thursday, July 20th (2023)
  • Friday, August 18th (2023)
  • Wednesday, September 20th (2023)
  • Friday, October 20th (2023)
  • Monday, November 20th (2023)
  • Wednesday, December 13th (2023)

As a general rule, CCB benefit payments are issued on the 20th of each month. If the 20th falls on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), then the payment will be issued on the last business day before the weekend.

Unlike some of the other social welfare programs that are specific to various provinces, the Canada Child Benefit is issued by the Canada Revenue Agency. Eligible recipients should be automatically enrolled in the program based on the information they submitted when filing the previous year’s income tax returns.

The amount is calculated into an annual total, which is then divided into twelve monthly payments. For the past few years, CCB payments have been issued during the third week of the month, this makes it easy for recipients to mark their calendars and get a general idea of when they’ll receive their payments.

The CRA makes an exception for the CCB payment issued in December. To ensure that families and parents have money for the holidays, the CCB payment is issued a week earlier than usual.

How Are CCB Payments Disbursed?

Your approval for CCB is typically determined based on your tax returns. Since the CRA is responsible for disbursing payments, you should receive your CCB payment the same way that you receive your tax refunds.

The majority of CCB recipients are enrolled for direct deposit with the CRA. It may appear on your bank account statement as “Canada Fed Deposit,” which makes it easy to identify.

The smaller percentage of individuals who have yet to set up a chequing account with the CRA will have their monthly payments mailed to the address listed on the previous year’s tax returns.

If you haven’t done so already, I recommend creating a CRA MyAccount, which will give you access to the CRA’s online payment system. From here, you can provide your bank account information, set up direct deposit, view CRA correspondence, and apply for other supplemental benefits.

Receiving your CCB cheque in the mail, while just as effective as a direct deposit, isn’t as safe or fast as a direct deposit from the CRA. Often, the post may be delayed due to severe weather. It’s also not uncommon for mail to go missing or become lost, which could delay your payment.

BC Child Benefit: BC Families Earn Extra

If you’re a resident of British Columbia and are already a CCB recipient, then you’ll also be eligible to receive the BC Child Benefit (or BC Child Opportunity Credit) as an additional supplement to your regular CCB payment.

This supplemental provincial benefit doesn’t provide as much aid as the CCB, but it does provide a nice bit of extra change, which goes a long way when you’re taking care of children.

Here’s the maximum amount you can expect if you’re approved to receive the BC Child Benefit:

  • $133.33 for your first child
  • $83.33 for your second child
  • $66.67 for each additional child

For instance, if you have four children, the maximum benefit amount you could receive for the BC Child Benefit would be $350 ($133.33 + $83.33 + $66.67 + 66.67).

BC Child Benefit Payment Dates For 2022

To make things simpler, the BC Child Benefit is always paid alongside the standard Canada Child Benefit. Although the payments are separated (one provincial payment and the other from the CRA), both payments are issued to the recipient on the same day.

That being said, the upcoming BC Child Benefit payment dates for 2022 are as follows:

  • Friday, November 18th (2022)
  • Tuesday, December 13th (2022)

BC Child Benefit Payment Dates For 2023

The government of British Columbia hasn’t released its BC Child Benefit payment dates for 2023 yet. However, since this provincial benefit is paid alongside the standard CCB benefit, you can expect the following BC Child Benefit payment dates for 2023:

  • Friday, January 20th (2023)
  • Monday, February 20th (2023)
  • Monday, March 20th (2023)
  • Thursday, April 20th (2023)
  • Friday, May 19th (2023)
  • Tuesday, June 20th (2023)
  • Thursday, July 20th (2023)
  • Friday, August 18th (2023)
  • Wednesday, September 20th (2023)
  • Friday, October 20th (2023)
  • Monday, November 20th (2023)
  • Wednesday, December 13th (2023)

Other Provincial Child Benefits You May Be Eligible For

relationship with money

British Columbia isn’t the only province to offer its own separate child benefit payment. Some other popular programs you may be eligible for based on your residency include:

  • Alberta Child and Family Benefit
  • New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit
  • Northwest Territories Child Benefit
  • Nova Scotia Child Benefit
  • Nunavut Child Benefit
  • Ontario Child Benefit
  • Yukon Child Benefit

You can see a full list of provincial benefits on the CRA’s website. Quebec also has its own child benefit program as well, but it’s not administered by the CRA.

What Is The Canada Child Benefit CCB?

The Canada Child Benefit is a social welfare program designed to provide additional assistance to lower to middle-income families in Canada. The cost of raising children in Canada has become more expensive with each passing year, and the CCB benefit aims to offset this by providing vital assistance.

The amount that each family is eligible to receive depends on how many dependent children are living in the household, along with the total income for the household.

Canada Child Benefit Payment Amount: What Can You Expect?

How Much Money Can You Make With Pinecone Research Canada?

In July 2022, the CCB benefit was increased slightly to account for the spike in inflation and increased financial hardship throughout Canada. For the period between July 2022 and June 2023, parents receiving maximum benefits can expect to receive the following:

  • Dependent children under 6: $6,997 ($583.08 monthly)
  • Dependent children between 6 and 17: $5,903 ($491.91 monthly)

This amount is paid per child. For example, if you’re receiving maximum benefits for two children under 6, then you would receive an annual amount of $13,994 ($6,997 x 2), which would be divided into twelve monthly payments of $1,166.17.

These payments would be issued on the 20th of each month, according to the payment schedule I referenced above.

How Your Adjusted Income Affects Your CCB Benefits

To receive maximum CCB benefits, the household applying for benefits must make less than $32,797. After this, the amount you receive will be incrementally decreased based on the amount you earn.

This is calculated by the CRA using your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI). Your net income is the total amount of income that your family earns after eligible tax deductions have been applied.

Here’s a quick chart outlining the amount that your CCB payments may be decreased based on your income:

Number of Dependent ChildrenIncome Between $32,797 and $71,060Income Over $71,060
17.0%3.2%
213.5%5.7%
319.0%8%
4+23.0%9.5%

Say that you have one child, for instance- Once your family generates a net income greater than $32,797 (but under $71,060), the amount you’ll receive per child will be reduced by 7.0% of the total difference.

For example, if your net income is $35,000, your total CCB benefit would be reduced by $154.21. Here’s the math:

  • $35,000 (AFNI) – $32,797 (first income bracket) = $2,203
  • $2,203 x 0.07 (7.0%) = $154.21

While it’s good to understand the math behind your benefit payment, you don’t have to worry about doing it by hand. The CRA has a useful Child Benefit calculator that you can use on their website for free.

How To Apply For The Canada Child Benefit

Most of the provincial benefits and tax credits in Canada must be applied for individually by working with your provincial welfare department. However, the Canada Child Benefit is a country-wide benefit that is issued to all eligible Canadian taxpayers.

As such, the majority of Canadians do not need to apply to receive CCB benefits.

Instead, your CCB benefit payments should be automatically issued to the primary CRA account associated with each family. For example, if your tax refunds are typically issued to your spouse’s account, then they would receive the annual CCB credit to their account.

If the parents of a child are separated, things are a bit different.

In separated families (joint custody), the mother is generally considered to be the primary caretaker of the child. As such, the mother will typically receive the CCB credit.

However, if the father has full custody of the child, then they would receive the CCB credit.

Applying For CCB As An Immigrant

For families and children born in Canada, CCB benefit payments should be automatically applied and disbursed to eligible taxpayers and parents. If the benefit is not automatically applied, then you can usually fix the problem by completing your CRA MyAccount details.

If you and your family have recently moved to Canada and your child’s birth certificate isn’t on record with the CRA yet, then you may need to apply separately with the CRA to receive benefits.

If you believe that you’re eligible to receive the CCB and you aren’t, then you may need to complete CRA form RC66. This form will need to be mailed to the CRA along with your child’s birth certificate to prove that they are indeed your child.

How Long Does It Take For My CCB Application To Be Processed?

If you’ve recently applied for CCB benefits, it may take a couple of months before you see your first payment, as the CRA needs time to verify your details.

If you apply for benefits online and your request is approved, then you should receive your first payment within 8 weeks of the application date.

If, on the other hand, you apply for benefits via mail, then it may take up to 11 weeks to receive your first payment

Canada Child Disability Benefit (CDB)

Child Disability Benefit (CDB)

Despite Canada’s free universal healthcare, raising a child who suffers from a disability can still incur extra expenses and costs. To offset this, the CRA issues an additional Child Disability Benefit to parents of children who suffer from severe disabilities.

Currently, the maximum benefit cap for CDB is $2,985 per year per child ($248.75 per month). This amount is paid in addition to the standard CCB payments that the parent(s) are receiving.

CDB payments are issued on the same date as the normal CCB payments, so you’ll receive everything at once from the CRA.

Other FAQs About Canada Child Benefit & Payments

To wrap things up, here are a few quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Canada Child Benefit program.

What Is The Maximum I Can Receive In CCB Payments?

If you’re an eligible Canadian resident and parent with a net family income of less than $32,797, then you can receive up to $6,997 for every child under 6 and $5,993 per year for every child between 6 and 18.

There is no cap on the number of children that you can receive benefits for, so you will receive this amount for each and every child who’s listed as a dependent.

Is The Canada Child Benefit Taxable Income?

Like other government benefits, the Canada Child Benefit does not count as taxable income, and you do not have to report it on your taxes.

What Is The Maximum Income needed To Qualify For CCB Benefits?

All Canadians regardless of their income, can receive CCB benefits, providing they meet the CRA’s basic eligibility requirements. That being said, the more you earn, the less you’ll receive as a benefit payment.

Once you start earning more than $32,797, your CCB payment amount will be incrementally decreased as you earn more.

When Do CCB Payments Stop?

Once your child turns 18, you will stop receiving CCB payments for them.

Do I Have To Pay The CCB Back?

Periodically, the CRA may overpay CCB benefits. Changes in your income or having a child who turns 18 halfway through the year may result in some discrepancies and miscalculations.

In this case, the CRA will take the overage amount out of future CCB payments, your GST/HST tax credit, or your federal income tax refund.

What should I do if I didn’t receive my Canada Child Benefit payment?

If you didn’t receive your Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payment, there could be several reasons why. Here’s what you can do to troubleshoot:

  1. Check the Payment Dates: The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issues the CCB payments on set dates, typically around the 20th of each month. Check the CRA website to confirm the payment dates.
  2. Verify Your Information: Log in to your CRA My Account to ensure that your banking information, your marital status, and your address are all up-to-date.
  3. Confirm Your Eligibility: Ensure that you are still eligible to receive the CCB. The CCB is calculated every July based on the information from your income tax and benefit return from the previous year. If your situation has changed — for instance, if your income has increased significantly, if you have fewer eligible children in your care, or if your marital status has changed — your CCB payment may have changed as well.
  4. Check If You Need to File Taxes: You and your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable, must both file a tax return every year to receive the CCB, even if you did not have income in the year. If you have not filed your tax return, or if the CRA is still processing your return, your CCB payments may be delayed.
  5. Contact the CRA: If you’ve confirmed all the above and still haven’t received your payment, contact the CRA directly. You can call them at 1-800-387-1193.

Conclusion – When Are CCB Payments Issued In Canada?

Canada Child Benefits Payment Dates

CCB payments are typically issued on the 20th of each month or the business day preceding the 20th (if the 20th falls on a holiday or weekend). Federal CCB payments are typically issued on the same day as other provincial child benefit payments as well, so you’ll receive all of your aid at once.

One of the best ways to start your child out on the right foot is to open a bank account for them and encourage them to start saving at a young age. Keep on reading to see my list of the best bank accounts for children under 18 next!

Photo of author
Author Bio - Christopher Liew is a CFA Charterholder with 11 years of finance experience and the creator of Wealthawesome.com. Read about how he quit his 6-figure salary career to travel the world here.

Check Out These Posts:

Leave a Comment