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What is the Ontario Child Benefit?
The Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) is a tax-free monthly payment that helps low- to moderate-income families provide for their children, regardless of whether they’re working or not.
Depending on your income level, you may qualify for the OCB if you:
- are an Ontario resident
- are the primary caregiver of a child under 18 years of age
- are eligible for the Canada Child Benefit
- have filed your previous year’s income tax and benefits return (same goes for your spouse or common-law partner)
How do I Apply for the Ontario Child Benefit?
There are two ways to apply for federal and provincial child benefits. If you have just welcomed a newborn, you can apply by registering your child’s birth using Ontario’s newborn registration service. If you aren’t registering an infant, you can apply online through CRA’s My Account for Individuals or by completing this form.
There’s no need to reapply through the CRA if you applied through Ontario's newborn registration service – doing so may cause a delay in processing your application. You only need to apply once for each child under the age of 18 in your care.
How Much You Can Receive from the Ontario Child Benefit
You can collect a monthly payment of up to $143.91 (or $1,726.92 per year) for each child under 18 years of age for the July 2025 to June 2026 benefit year. You may receive a partial benefit if your adjusted family net income is over $26,364.
The Canada Child Benefit and How it Works
The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is funded by the Government of Canada and assists eligible Canadian families with the cost of raising children under 18. For the 2024-25 benefit year, you could get up to $7,997 per year for each child under six years of age and $6,748 per year for children aged six to 17 years of age.
Payment amounts are determined based on:
- the number of children you have
- the age of your children
- your marital status
- your adjusted family net income from last year’s tax return
You need to be eligible for this federal benefit in order to qualify for the Ontario Child Benefit.
To get the Canada Child Benefit, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- you live with a child who is under 18 years old
- you are considered primarily responsible for raising the child
- you’re a resident of Canada
- you and your spouse or common-law partner are Canadian citizens, Indigenous, permanent residents, protected persons, or temporary residents who have lived in Canada for the last 18 months (a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for 18 months and has a valid permit for month 19)
CCB payments are often distributed along with any child disability benefits and provincial benefits you receive for your child. Unlike the Ontario Child Benefit, you may have to fill out a Canada Child Benefits Application if you have a child born outside of the country or if you didn’t when you completed your child's birth registration.
Canada Child Disability Benefit
Along with the Canada Child Benefit, there’s also the Canada Child Disability Benefit through the Canada Revenue Agency. This is another tax-free monthly payment given to those with children under the age of 18 who have a severe and prolonged physical or mental impairment.
In order to qualify for this benefit, you must already qualify for the Canada Child Tax Benefit, and your child must be eligible for the Disability Tax Credit. Once you have both of those things for your eligible child or eligible children, you’ll start receiving the benefit automatically.
While this benefit isn’t specifically for low-income families, how much you receive is based on your annual family net adjusted income. For the July 2025 to June 2026 benefit year, the most you can get is $3,411 annually. This is paid monthly in the amount of $284.25.
That said, if your adjusted family net income is above $81,222, then your amount will be reduced. Those who have one eligible child will have a reduction of 3.2% of the income amount that’s greater. Those with two or more children eligible will have a reduction of 5.7% of the income amount that’s greater.
How is the Ontario Child Benefit Paid Out?
Once you’re approved for the CCB and OCB, you’ll receive both of these benefits as a single monthly payment. Payments are sent straight to your bank account around the 20th of every month (see 2024 payment dates here). Your first payment should arrive within eight weeks of submitting your application online. It can take up to 11 weeks if you apply by mail.
Keep in mind that your payments will stop if you don’t file your tax returns every year. Make sure to file before the deadline to prevent delayed payments.
Increasing Your Ontario Child Benefit Payments
The amount of your OCB payments depends on your income level, which means the easiest way to increase your benefit is to reduce your taxable income. This can be done by maximizing your tax return using tax deductions and tax credits.
For example, you can claim childcare expenses as a tax deduction, adoption expenses and education fees as tax credits. Other examples of eligible tax credits include medical expenses, interest paid on student loans, and donations (see the full list here). If you’re not sure how to take advantage of these tax benefits, it may be worth speaking with an accountant to ensure no credits or deductions are missed.
Other Provinces and Their Child Benefit Programs
Ontario isn’t the only province in Canada that has a child benefits program. Each province has its own eligibility criteria. That said, it’s mainly meant for Canadians with a modest income. Let’s take a look at these and how they work. Keep in mind that your marital status will also make a difference, and you have to file your annual income tax return in order to receive the monthly benefit.
| Province | Income Threshold | Maximum Benefit Amounts |
| British Columbia- BC Family Benefit | Less than $29,526 to get the maximum amount | $145.83 per month for the first child; $41.66 per month for the first child in a single-parent family; $91.66 per month for the second child; and $75 per month for each additional child. |
| Alberta - Alberta Child and Family Benefit | Less than $27,565 to get the maximum amount | $1,499 ($124.91 per month) for the first child $749 ($62.41 per month) for the second child $749 ($62.41 per month) for the third child $749 ($62.41 per month) for the fourth child |
| Saskatchewan - Low-Income Tax Credit | Less than $38,588 to receive the maximum amount | $429 for an individual $429 for a spouse or common-law partner $169 per child (maximum of 2 children) |
| Manitoba | None Through the Federal Government | None Through the Federal Government |
| Nova Scotia - Nova Scotia Child Benefit | Less than $26,000 to receive the maximum amount | $127.08 for each child under 18 years of age |
| New Brunswick - New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit | Less than $20,000 to receive the maximum amount | $20.83 for each month for each child |
| PEI - PEI Child Benefit | Less than $80,000 | $30 per month for each child is income below $45,000 $20 per month for each child is income below $80,000 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador - Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit | Less than $17,397 to get the maximum amount | $155.66 per month for the first child; $165 per month for the second child; $177.25 per month for the third child; and$190.41 per month for each additional child. |
| Quebec - Family Allowance | Not Through the Federal Government | Not Through the Federal Government |
| Nunavut - Nunavut Child Benefit | Less than $22,065 | $24.16 per month for one child; and $30.75 per month for two or more children. |
| Northwest Territories | Less than $30,000 to get the maximum amount | Eligible children under the age of six: $67.91 for one child $122.25 for two children $166.41 for three children $203.75 for four children plus $30.58 for each additional child Eligible children aged 6 to 17: $54.33 for one child $97.83 for two children $133.08 for three children $163.00 for four children plus$24.41 for each additional child |
| Yukon Child Benefit | Less than $35,000 to get the maximum amount | $78.08 per month for each child under 18 |
Other Canadian Government Benefits
While the Canada Child Benefit helps cover your child’s daily activities, your child’s care can be expensive. This is why the Government of Canada had implemented the Universal Child Care Benefit. This benefit ended in 2016, but benefits are still being paid retroactively and can still be claimed as income received for tax purposes.
Now, you don’t receive payments for child care, but there is the $10 childcare program. This works differently in every province, but essentially, the government is reducing the costs of childcare to $10 per day, not just for one child, but for all subsequent children. The rest of the cost is paid separately to the childcare provider by the government.
Can I Get a Cash Advance Loan With my Ontario Child Benefit?
Yes, it’s possible to obtain a loan while receiving the OCB. OCB payments are considered income, which can increase the likelihood of loan approval. Learn more about online loan options or apply with Spring Financial today.
