Canada child benefit: 3. What you need to know before you apply

From Canada Revenue Agency

3. What you need to know before you apply

Who should apply?

The individual who is primarily in charge of the care and upbringing of the child should apply for the CCB. 

You are primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of the child if you:

  • supervise the child’s daily activities and needs
  • make sure the child’s medical needs are met 
  • arrange for child care when necessary

For CCB purposes, when a male and a female parent live together in the same household as the child, the female parent is usually considered to be primarily responsible for the child. In this situation, the female parent should apply. If the male parent is primarily responsible, he must attach a note to his application from the female parent. The note must state that he is primarily responsible for all of the children in the household.

If two parents of the same sex live together in the same household as the child, one parent should apply for the CCB for all of the children in the household.

You are not considered primarily responsible if the child is legally, physically, or financially maintained by a child welfare agency. For more information on this situation, see children's special allowances.

Providing supporting documents with your application

You must fill out more forms or provide supporting documents with your Canada Child Benefits Application if:

You share custody of a child

Do you share custody? If both individuals in the shared custody arrangement want to receive a portion of the benefits, attach a note to the application. The note must clearly explain your shared custody arrangement.

You must contact the CRA if you end your shared custody arrangement.

You need to provide proof of birth

You must provide proof of birth with your application if the CRA has never paid benefits for this child and either of the following situations apply:

  • the child was born outside Canada
  • the child was born in Canada but is more than a year old

Your application is for a period that started more than 11 months ago

If your application is for a period that started more than 11 months ago, include supporting documents for the entire period.
Provide clear copies of all pages (both sides) of the following documents:

  • proof of citizenship status
    • for example, a Canadian birth certificate or immigration status in Canada for you and your spouse or common-law partner, if you have one
  • proof that you lived in Canada
    • for example, a lease agreement, rent receipts, utility bills or bank statements
  • proof of birth for each child
  • proof that you were the person who is primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of the child

You or your spouse or common-law partner are a new or returning resident or citizen of Canada

You must complete Schedule RC66SCH, Status in Canada/Statement of Income and include it with your application if either you or your spouse or common-law partner:

  • became a new resident or returned as a resident of Canada in the last two years
  • became Canadian citizens within the last 12 months

You also have to fill out and attach Schedule RC66SCH, if you or your spouse or common-law partner are, as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act:

  • a permanent resident
  • a protected person (refugee)
  • a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months
  • not a Canadian citizen, but are an Indian within the meaning of the Indian Act

Do you need to apply for related provincial and territorial programs?

You do not need to apply separately for provincial and territorial programs. The CRA uses your Canada Child Benefits Application, whichever way you applied, to determine if you are eligible for provincial or territorial benefits and credits. If you are, we will automatically calculate your payments based on information from your and your spouse or common-law partner’s income tax and benefit return.

The CRA administers the following provincial and territorial programs related to the CCB:

  • Alberta child benefit
  • Alberta family employment tax credit
  • BC family bonus
  • BC early childhood tax 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

Québec child assistance payments provide financial assistance to all eligible families who have one or more dependent children under 18 years of age. See Retraite Québec for more information on the program and how to apply.

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