The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a lifeline for many families across the country, helping with the costs of raising children. Starting in January 2025, grieving parents will see a change in how the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) handles these government payments.

The CRA has announced that families will now be able to receive CCB payments for six months after the death of a child, as long as the parent or guardian is still eligible. The change, first introduced in Budget 2024, also applies to the Child Disability Benefit.

Previously, CCB payments stopped at the end of the month following a child’s death, which left families scrambling to cover unexpected costs like funeral expenses, which are not covered by the benefit. Now, with this extra six months of support, parents have a bit more breathing room to focus on what matters most during this difficult time.

Families are still required to report the child’s death before the end of the following month to access the extended payments.
The rule change officially kicked in on January 1, 2025.

The rule change officially kicked in on January 1, 2025.
This summer, CCB payment amounts are also set to get their annual increase for inflation.

source MTLblog