Nearly five years after they ended it, the Saskatchewan Party is re-establishing the province’s active families benefit.
The benefit will provide families who have an annual income of less than $60,000 with a non-refundable tax credit of up to $150 per year, per child, for youth participating in sports, culture or other recreational activities.
The benefit increases to $200 for children who are eligible for the federal child disability tax credit.
“The active families benefit will make children’s activities more affordable for families across Saskatchewan,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said in a statement Tuesday.
“Participation in sports, culture and recreational activities is a key part of building communities and developing Saskatchewan youth.”
The Saskatchewan government eliminated the active families benefit as of June 30, 2016, in its 2016-17 budget.
The government said at the time it would save the government $5.5 million per year as it dealt with a $434-million projected deficit.
The Saskatchewan NDP said that the cut hurt families with kids in sports, music or other recreational programs.
“The Sask. Party government wants credit for taking money from your pocket — then giving you a bit of it back,” the NDP said in a statement.
The Saskatchewan Party promised to re-establish the benefit during the 2020 provincial election campaign.
The restart of the benefit was included in Finance Minister Donna Harpauer’s budget on April 6.
The government says the benefit will assist up to 20,500 families, or 34,000 children, at a cost of $4.0 million a year.
It is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021.
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