Canada’s minister of families, children and social development, Ahmed Hussen, stopped in Barrie, Ont., on Wednesday morning to highlight programs available for young families.
“Our government is focused on making life more affordable for middle class families,” Hussen said in a statement.
“That is why I’m very proud of the government’s investments in supporting families and helping children get the best possible start in life.”
The event, which took place at Goodness Me! on Park Place Boulevard, highlighted the parental sharing benefit, the tax-free Canada child benefit and the first-time homebuyer incentive.
The parental sharing benefit gives new parents, including adoptive and same-sex parents, access to an additional five weeks of employment insurance standard parental benefits or an additional eight weeks, if they choose the extended parental option.
For the 2019-20 benefit year, the tax-free Canada child benefit provides a maximum annual amount of $6,639 per child under six and $5,602 per child age six through 17.
The first-time homebuyer incentive allows qualified first-time homebuyers to reduce monthly mortgage payments by up to $286 or $3,432 per year.
“Going forward, the government will continue to work to help deliver a better quality of life for all Canadians,” Hussen said in the statement.