An extension to the application deadline for the federal government's Universal Child Care Benefit, could mean up to $2,000 per child for unregistered families in London.
Minister of Employment and Social Development Pierre Poilievre was in the city on Saturday at the London Sports and Activity Expo to encourage local families to apply for the benefit before the new deadline of May 15. The original deadline was May 1.
"We extended the deadline in order to give more families a chance to apply," he says. "We believe that we should put money directly into the pockets of moms and dads, rather than in the hands of bureaucrats and politicians."
Poilievre says under the newly upgraded benefit, Canadian families can receive $2,000 per year for each child under 6, and $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17. He says 100% of Canadian families with children under 18 years old are eligible.
It is estimated that about 200,000 eligible families in Canada, including 69,000 families in Ontario, are not registered for the child care benefit.
"We are trying to track down 2,500 of them in London," says Poilievre. "We want to make sure they sign up so they receive their payment when the enhanced benefit comes out in July."
Any family that has children under 18 years old and has not registered for the UCCB can visit www.canada.ca/taxsavings to apply.