New federal benefits allow dads to take 5 weeks of shared parental leave

Mar 16 2019, 2:16 am

The federal government has announced new parental benefits in an “effort to encourage more parents to share the work of raising their children more equally.”

In a release, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, said that soon-to-be parents will be eligible to receive extra weeks of parental benefits as of March 17, 2019.

The new benefits will add five additional weeks to the 35-week standard option and eight additional weeks to the 61-week extended option.

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The extra time off will be available to all parents, including adoptive or same-sex parents, who agree to share parental benefits.

In 2018, the federal government stated that it intends to launch the new parental sharing benefit to promote “greater gender equality at home and in the workplace.”

The new parental leave benefits are already being celebrated by Dove Men+Care. The personal care brand is launching a marketing new campaign named #Takethetime in order to celebrate and champion fathers and all men.

“We know that even with the new policy, most Canadian fathers still won’t take paternity leave. One of the major factors are continuing social stigmas that discourage men from taking the time. Dove Men+Care, which champions paternity leave for men around the globe, is casting a light on these social stigmas to spark conversation among Canadians and encourage support of all Fathers,” saidDove Men+Care, in a statement.

“It’s an important moment to encourage Canadian men to take the time to change the conversation around parental leave.”

In a statement released today, Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, said the shared benefits will “encourage all parents to be engaged in full-time caregiving for their infants, helping to create greater financial security for women, and stronger bonds between fathers or second parents and their babies.”

“By encouraging a more equitable distribution of child care within the home, this new parental leave benefit gives families more flexible childcare options and advances gender equality both at home and in the workplace.”

Daily Hive StaffDaily Hive Staff

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