Resolution number
2
Whereas
- The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is an important federal program that provides essential income supports to families, and a critical tool for addressing child poverty in Canada;
- The specific eligibility criteria for the CCB regarding the immigration status of parents renders many refugee and migrant families ineligible to receive the benefit, including:
- Refugee claimants awaiting a determination of their claim;
- Children who cannot leave Canada for reasons beyond their control, such as those whose parents are from countries where Canada has issued a moratorium of removal because of dangerous conditions;
- Children who are Canadian citizens, but whose parents do not fall within the limited immigration eligibility categories;
- Excluding children and families from accessing the CCB based on the immigration status of the parents stands in contravention to numerous articles within the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Canada has ratified.
- Denying refugee and migrant families access to the CCB based on the immigration status of the parents carries many detrimental consequences for the children who are impacted, including challenges associated with health, child development, income security and housing stability, among others.
Therefore be it resolved
the CCR Call on the Government of Canada to reform the Income Tax Act to eliminate the current exclusions based on immigration status so that every parent in Canada who is considered a resident for income tax purposes is eligible to receive the Canada Child Benefit.
Subject
Working Group
Immigration and Settlement