A more inclusive and flexible benefit for parents in need
OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2018 /CNW/ - The death or disappearance of a child is devastating. It can leave parents unable to work and in need of support. To ensure victims' families get the help they need, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced the new Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime on May 25, 2018.
The Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime replaces the former Parents of Murdered or Missing Children grant and provides enhanced support to parents facing tragic circumstances. The new benefit is more inclusive and flexible to allow more parents to get the support they need. As of September 30, 2018, the following improvements take effect:
- the age limit of the young victim changes to under 25 (from under 18);
- the weekly benefit payment increases to $450 (from $350);
- the period in which recipients can receive the benefit extends to two years (from one year);
- recipients are now allowed to work up to 50 percent of their regular work week, up to a maximum of 20 hours weekly; and
- the requirement that parents attest that their child was not a willing party to the crime is eliminated for children under 14 years of age.
The benefit provides income support to eligible parents who have suffered a loss of income because they took time away from work to cope with the death or disappearance of their child or children, as a result of a probable Criminal Code offence. Eligible parents will have two years following the date of the incident to receive payments of $450 per week, paid bi-weekly for a maximum of 35 weeks.
These improvements are in addition to the ongoing improvements to service delivery and outreach efforts to increase awareness of the benefit among families who are affected by such tragic circumstances. The Government also intends to amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure that employees in the federally regulated private sector have job protected leave while receiving the benefit.
Incidents that occurred prior to September 30, 2018, will still be assessed under the eligibility criteria of the Parents of Murdered or Missing Children grant, but payments will increase to $450 as of today. Recipients will also be allowed to work up to 50 percent of the regular work week after September 30, 2018, up to a maximum of 20 hours a week.
Quotes
"Losing a child is one of the worst things a parent can experience. That is why our government introduced the new Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime—to ensure that more parents get the help they need when dealing with such tragic circumstances."
—The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Associated Links
Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime
Backgrounder
Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime – Elgibility information
In order to be eligible for the Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime:
- the child must be under the age of 25 at the time of the death or disappearance;
- the death or disappearance of the child must be the result of a probable Criminal Code offence;
- the incident must have occurred in Canada;
- in the case of missing children, the child must be missing for over a week; and
- when the deceased child is 14 years of age or older, it must not be probable that the child was a willing party to the crime that led to their death.
Additionally, applicants must:
- be legally responsible for the child;
- have earned at least $6,500 in the previous calendar year or the 52 weeks immediately prior to the incident;
- be on leave from their employment, or working up to 50 percent their regular work week, up to a maximum of 20 hours;
- not have been charged with committing the Criminal Code offence that led to the death or disappearance of the child; and
- not be receiving any type of Employment Insurance (EI) or Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) benefits.
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries: Valérie Glazer, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 819-654-5546; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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