Increase in Nova Scotia Child Benefit

The Province is helping more than 22,750 Nova Scotian families by increasing the Nova Scotia Child Benefit. The increase will take effect on the July payment.

“Increasing this benefit is another step in helping to reduce child poverty,” said Karla MacFarlane, Minister of Community Services. “When combined with other initiatives like increasing subsidies, basic child dental care and investments in community-based organizations, we are working to improve the lives of children across our province.”

The Nova Scotia Child Benefit is a tax-free payment to help eligible families with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age. Budget 2023-24 invests an additional $8 million in the benefit to help support families with incomes below $34,000.

Families receiving the benefit will see:

• a $250 increase for the first child and each additional child for families earning less than $26,000
• a $250 increase for the first child and $125 for each additional child for those earning between $26,000 and $33,999

In the last two years, the annual payment for families at the lowest income level has increased by $600 per child to $1,525.

People do not have to apply for the benefit, as it is based on personal income tax returns. People are encouraged to file their 2022 income tax returns for 2022 if they have not already filed.

Quick Facts:

• the Nova Scotia Child Benefit year runs from July 1 to June 30 and is based on income information from the previous tax year
• to be eligible, a family’s annual adjusted net income must be less than $34,000
• the provincial benefit is combined with the Canada Child Benefit, which is also based on personal income tax returns, so people receive one monthly payment by mail or direct deposit
• as of May, there were 22,752 families receiving the benefit, representing 40,887 children

Additional Resources:

Budget 2023-24: https://novascotia.ca/budget/

More information about the Nova Scotia Child Benefit and the new rates: https://www.novascotia.ca/coms/families/ChildBenefit.html

Mandate letter of the Minister of Community Services: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DCS-OLA-SOW.pdf