Canadian families are receiving a government benefit payment today
Canadian families eligible for Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payments can expect money from the government today.
The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment for eligible families to help with the cost of raising kids under the age of 18. This month, the child benefit will land in bank accounts on Friday, Feb. 20.
Canadian families got a 2.7 per cent boost in child tax payments in July 2025, marking the beginning of the new benefit year. The federal government uses a process called indexation to raise the payment to help parents as the cost of living continues to soar.
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Annual payments for children under six increased from $7,787 to $7,997, or $666 monthly. For those with children aged six to 17, this means an annual payment increase from $6,570 to $6,748, or $562 per month.
The Child Disability Benefit (CDB) also went up from $3,322 to $3,411 in July.
This represents a smaller increase compared to last year, when Ottawa raised the CCB by 4.7 per cent. The maximum payment for children under six increased by $350, from $7,437 to $7,787. For children aged six to 17, it increased by $295, from $6,275 to $6,570.
Canadian parents can expect another CCB and CDB increase in July 2026 based on the two per cent indexation increase.
According to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the base child benefit for a kid under age six in 2026 will be $8,157, an increase of $160 from $7,997 in 2025. The base benefit for children aged six to 17 will be $6,883 next year, up $135 from $6,748 this year.
Based on the two per cent indexation increase, the maximum benefit amount for the CDB in 2026 will be $3,480, which is a $69 increase from $3,411 in 2025. Check out other government benefits and credits that will increase this year.
You can check if your family is eligible for Canada’s child tax benefit by taking the government’s eligibility test.
Families in B.C. and Ontario will also get provincial child benefit payments on Monday. Check out the other ways Canadians could get money from the government this month.