Birth and adoption
Child assistance payments provide financial assistance to all eligible families who have one or more dependent children under age 18. The program has two components:
A streamlined procedure for newborns
If your child is born in Québec, you do not have to apply to receive child assistance. When the birth of a child is declared to the Registrar of Civil Status, the child is automatically signed up for the child assistance program.
Other situations
You must apply for Child Assistance Payments if you:
- adopt a child
- become a resident of Québec
- obtain custody of a child
- obtain shared custody of a child
- retain custody of a child following the breakdown of your union and you were not previously receiving child assistance payment
Schedule of payments
Child assistance payments are made on the first working day of each quarter or month. See our schedule of payments for 2012.