If you have children living with you, you can apply for the Child Tax Benefit as well as the Child Related Income Support Program (CRISP).

The Child Tax Benefit is a federal government program that provides monthly pay-ments to help you with the cost of raising children. It is for children under 18 years of age. Payment is made to the parent who has the responsibility for the child’s care and upbringing. In most cases, the mother of the child is considered to be that person.

The amount of monthly Child Tax Benefit is based on your family income for the previ-ous year. If you are eligible, a letter that shows the amount of your monthly pay-ment for each child will be sent to you. It takes a few months to receive this benefit.

You are eligible for this payment as soon as you become a resident of Canada.

CRISP is a provincial government program that helps low income families with de-pendent children who are under 18 years of age. The amount of money you will re-ceive depends on your yearly family income. You must also be receiving your Child Tax Benefit before you can apply for this support. An application must be completed each year to determine eligibility.

Application forms are available at the Regional Employ-ment Resource Centre 773-3353

Child care costs are tax deductible if parents are working. Keep receipts from babysit-ters and day care services.

The cost of child care can sometimes be subsidized –the applications are available at child care locations:

L ittle Cub’s Den Daycare/ Early Learning Centre
1-204-859-3311
Located at 170 Victoria Avenue
Open from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM

The best person to call first is a public health nurse at 859-5302. The nurse can give you information about all the legally required children’s immunizations and also the many programs available.

These include:
Baby First Home Visitors (for babies up to a year old)
Pre-school programs: Mother Goose, Rock and Read, Step 2, Baby Step
Parenting programs: Nobody’s perfect

In extremely cold weather or in other situations when travel is not recommended, schools may be closed or the buses will be cancelled.

You can find out if the schools are closed or buses cancelled at www.pwsd.ca or by listening to the radio –Star FM 94.7 or 880 CKLQ.

Listen for information about the Park West School Division.

If you live in the country and buses are cancelled, the bus driver will call you to tell you this.