Child assistance (Québec)

This amount is paid by Retraite Québec on a monthly or quarterly basis to help families with children and has two components:

  • the child assistance payment, which is paid to eligible families with one or more dependent children under the age of 18 living with them and
  • the supplement for the purchase of school supplies, which is paid to eligible families with children aged 4 to 16 on September 30

There is also additional assistance for disabled children which includes:

  • the supplement for handicapped children, which is paid to eligible families to help with the care and education of children with a physical impairment or mental disability (that severely limits them in their activities for a period expected to last at least one year)
  • the supplement for handicapped children with exceptional care needs, which is paid for children with multiple serious disabilities that prevent them from carrying out their activities without assistance or that require exceptional home care

Note: In order to receive child assistance payments, you and your spouse (if applicable) must file your tax return every year, even if you don’t have any income to report.

You are eligible for child assistance payments if you are a resident of Québec and the following conditions apply to you:

  • are responsible for the care and education of a child under the age of 18
  • live with the child or, if the child has been placed in a youth centre, pay the contribution required by the centre
  • the beneficiary (or your spouse) is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident who has been living in Canada for the last 18 months, or a protected person

If you’re a parent of a newborn child, you won’t need to apply for the child assistance payments. Your child automatically gets signed up for these payments, when you declare the birth to the Directeur de l'état civil. The first payment will be sent to you within 40 days after Retraite Québec receives the birth declaration from the Directeur de l'état civil.

You’ll need to file an application if:

  • you adopt a child
  • you became a resident of Québec
  • your child arrives in or returns Québec
  • you live in Québec but your child was born outside of Québec
  • you obtained custody or shared custody of a child
  • you retained custody of a child after a breakdown of your marriage and you weren’t previously receiving child assistance payments in your name

Note: If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can receive child assistance payments up to 11 months retroactive from the date the application was received by Retraite Québec.