This post covers the Quebec family allowance payment dates for 2022, how much families can receive, the eligibility, how to apply and the different programs.
Let’s start…
Quebec Family Allowance Payment Dates 2022
Family allowance, supplement for handicapped children and the supplement for handicapped children with exceptional care needs are paid together on a quarterly basis, or monthly if the family wishes.
The Quebec family allowance payment dates for 2022 are:
| Benefit Months | Family Allowance Monthly Payment Dates |
|---|---|
| January | January 5, 2022 |
| February | February 1, 2022 |
| March | March 1, 2022 |
| April | April 1, 2022 |
| May | May 2, 2022 |
| June | June 1, 2022 |
| July | July 4, 2022 |
| August | August 1, 2022 |
| September | September 1, 2022 |
| October | October 3, 2022 |
| November | November 1, 2022 |
| December | December 1, 2022 |
Families that wish to receive their payments monthly would have to apply. If approved, the benefit will be paid on the first working date of each month.
The default payment period is quarterly and the family allowance quarterly payment dates for 2022 are:
| Benefit Period | Family Allowance Payment Dates |
|---|---|
| January, Feb. & March | January 5, 2022 |
| April, May & June | April 1, 2022 |
| July, August & Sept. | July 4, 2022 |
| Oct., Nov. & December | October 1, 2022 |
What is the Quebec Family Allowance?
The Quebec family allowance program is a non-taxable financial assistance benefit provided to families with dependent children below age 18. It is an important benefit that currently supports more than 890,000 families.
It is administered by Retraite Québec and part of the Québec’s family policy. The family allowance measure is made up of 4 different programs namely:
- Family allowance payment
- Supplement for the purchase of school supplies
- Supplement for handicapped children; and
- The Supplement for handicapped children requiring exceptional care.
Eligibility for Family Allowance
An applicant wishing to apply for family allowance payments must meet the following criteria:
- Live in Quebec and file taxes (both spouses)
- Have a child below 18 and be responsible for their care and education
- Live with a child or pay for the child’s stay at a Youth Centre
- Be a permanent resident, Canadian citizen, protected person or temporary resident that has been in Canada for the last 18 months.
Certain categories of people are ineligible to receive the family allowance payment. They include a child’s foster family, refugee claimant of someone waiting to receive the protected person status, someone exempted from paying taxes by the Revenue Quebec and so on.
Family Allowance Rates: How much can you Receive?
How much you can receive as family allowance payment depends on a number of factors including the family net income, number of dependent children below 18, number of children in shared custody and the family situation.
Families can receive a minimum of $1,040 per year, up to a maximum of $2,614 for each child. Single parents will receive an extra minimum annual payment of $365 and maximum of $917.
| Minimum Amount | Maximum Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Each Child | $1,040 | $2,614 |
| Single-parent family | $365 | $917 |
An annual amount of $108 is also provided as supplement for the purchase of school supplies. Families with a handicapped child will get the supplement for handicapped children or supplement for handicapped children requiring exceptional care.
The supplement for the purchase of school supplies is paid once a year in July for each child aged 4 to 16 by September 30.
The supplement for the purchase of school supplies payment date for 2022 is July 4, 2022.
You can estimate how much you can receive using the family allowance calculator here.
How to Apply for Family Allowance in Quebec
Children born in Quebec are automatically signed up for family allowance if their birth is declared to Directeur de l’état civil.
However, you’ll have to apply for the benefit if you fall into any of the categories below:
- Live in Quebec but the child was born outside the province
- An immigrant or just became a Quebec resident
- Adopted a child
- Obtained custody or shared custody of a child
- Retained or obtained custody of a child after the breakdown of a marriage
Check this page to learn more about the application process and start your application.
The family allowance benefit can be paid retroactively for up to 11 months if the eligibility conditions are met for those periods.
Supplement For Handicapped Children
The supplement for handicapped children is a financial assistance program for families with a handicapped child. The supplement provides support for the care and education of the child.
Eligible families receive a non-taxable amount of $205 a month that is indexed each year by January for a total of $2,460 in 2022.
The benefit is not income-tested. All eligible children will get the same amount of $205 per month irrespective of the family net income, number of children in the household, or the type of impairment or disability.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the supplement for handicapped children benefit, you must satisfy the 2 conditions below:
- There’s a dependent child under 18 in your care with an impairment or mental function disability that severely affects their ability to take part in “life habits”.
- You meet all the eligibility criteria for family allowance
Life habits include any of the day-to-day activities that the child would take part in such as nutrition, personal care, communication, education and so on.
Also, the condition must be expected to last for a period of at least one year.
The child’s eligibility will be determined during the application process by their team of health professionals.
What are the conditions that are eligible for the Supplement?
Several handicap conditions qualify for the benefit and each one has its own eligibility requirements. Some of the conditions include
Impairments: nutrition and digestion, hearing, metabolic and hereditary abnormalities, renal and urinary functions, nervous system abnormalities, respiratory functions, and many more
Mental Function disabilities: Intellectual impairment, language disorders, global developmental delay, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Serious behavioural disorders and psychological disorders.
You can check here to find out the specific eligibility criteria under each of the impairments or disabilities.
When does the supplement for handicapped children stop?
The supplement for handicapped children payment ends when the child turns 18, is no longer eligible for the family allowance or the disability or impairment has improved.
A medical reassessment may be required to verify your child’s continued eligibility for the program in some instances.
Supplement For Handicapped Children Payment Dates 2022
Supplement for Handicapped children is paid quarterly or monthly along with the Family Allowance payments on the following dates in 2022:
| Benefit Months | Family Allowance Monthly Payment Dates |
|---|---|
| January | January 5, 2022 |
| February | February 1, 2022 |
| March | March 1, 2022 |
| April | April 1, 2022 |
| May | May 2, 2022 |
| June | June 1, 2022 |
| July | July 4, 2022 |
| August | August 1, 2022 |
| September | September 1, 2022 |
| October | October 3, 2022 |
| November | November 1, 2022 |
| December | December 1, 2022 |
Supplement For Handicapped Children Requiring Exceptional Care
Families that have children with severe or multiple disabilities requiring constant presence of the parents, extraordinary care, or complex medical care at home can receive the supplement for handicapped children requiring exceptional care.
Such disabilities must be expected to last beyond a year and prevents the child from carrying out their day-to-day activities or life habits.
Eligibility for this supplement is established if a child fall under either of the categories below:
- Child with severe and multiple disabilities
- Child requiring complex medical care at home
Both categories are further sub-divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2 depending on the severity and complexity of the care needed, impact of the care required on the child’s daily life and the risks associated with complications.
Tier 1 is more severe, and families can receive up to an annual maximum of $12,420 under the tier. Tier 2 is less severe and pays up to a yearly maximum of $8,268.
Quebec Family Allowance Increase 2022
The maximum family allowance increased to $2,614 in 2022. The increase is just a $67 increase from the $2,547 maximum amount for 2021, so it is not significant.
And the other categories also had minor increases. For example, the additional amount for single-parent families only increased by $24.
These increases are in line with the annual indexing of the family allowance amount to inflation.
Final Thoughts
The Quebec family allowance program ensures that families get some help with the cost of raising their children. To learn more about other government programs in Canada, check the posts linked below:
Why did I receive my QCB twice in December 2022 (1st and 21st)? Now I don’t get anything in January