For
10 years now, the Régie des rentes du Québec has administered the child
assistance program, which provides financial assistance to Québec families.
Are you surprised to hear that? Last year,
the Régie paid some 2,2 billion $ to nearly 862 000 families. Parents who
care for a handicapped child are also entitled to the supplement for
handicapped children.
When poring through our archives, I found a
press release announcing the first child assistance payment. In it, the late
Claude Béchard, who was the Minister of Employment, Social Solidarity and
Family Welfare at the time, celebrated the fact that the Québec government
continued to make families one of its main priorities.
Ten years later, child assistance continues
to be paid. But did you know that the Régie has also administered family
allowances in Québec since 1971? I’ve drawn on Statistiques2013 — Soutien aux enfants (child assistance statistics for 2013; French
only) to take you on a quick trip back in time.
1961-1973 – School allowance
In September 1961, the government paid the
first benefits to parents: the school allowance. Totalling 10 $ a month, the
allowance was paid for teenagers aged 16 and 17 who were attending school and
who lived in Québec. It complemented the federal family allowance program.
1967-1973 – Family allowance
In April 1967, Québec created its own family
allowance program for parents with a dependent child under age 16. Parents were
entitled to 30 $ a year for 1 child and up to 283 $ a year for 6 children.
1980-2004 – Allowance for handicapped
children
In January 1980, an allowance for handicapped
children was created. The allowance was 60 $ a month.
Since 2005 – Child assistance
The child assistance measure came into effect
in January 2005. It has two components: child assistance and the supplement for
handicapped children. It replaces and enhances family benefits while covering
all families with children under age 18, regardless of their income. In 2007,
certain improvements were made to the child assistance program, including the
ability to designate a beneficiary other than the mother.