The Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) is a tax-free monthly payment available to eligible Canadian families to help with the cost of raising children. The CCTB can incorporate the National Child Benefit (NCB), a monthly benefit for low-income families with children, and the Child Disability Benefit (CDB), a monthly benefit for families caring for children with severe and prolonged mental or physical impairments.
The CCTB was enacted in response to a commitment made by the Canadian parliament, in November 1989, to eradicate child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.[1] However, it has been found that, due to cutbacks to social assistance, the impact of this program in reducing child poverty is negligible.[1]