Did You Know?

About the Universal Child Care Benefit?
How to apply for the Child Tax Benefit?
How to apply for a Canadian Passport?
About the Caring Canadian Award?
How to Find a Job?
How to Apply for Employment Insurance?
About Home Adaptations For Seniors’ Independance?

About the Universal Child Care Benefit?

The Universal Child Care Benefit is a new form of direct financial assistance. It is paid to parents in monthly installments of $100 per month per child under the age of six. Enrolment for the Universal Child Care Benefit is processed through the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) application.If you are already receiving the Canada Child Tax Benefit, you do not need to apply for the Universal Child Care Benefit. If you are not currently receiving the Canada Child Tax Benefit, you can enroll by submitting a completed Canada Child Tax Benefit application.Application forms are available on the Canada Revenue Agency website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca and at my constituency office. They are also available by calling 1 800 959-2221 or at your local Canada Revenue Agency office or Service Canada Centre.

The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, the Honourable Diane Finley, has lead responsibility for the Universal Child Care Benefit. The Department of Human Resources and Social Development, the Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada are all working together to deliver the Universal Child Care Benefit on behalf of the Government of Canada.

For more information on how to receive the Universal Child Care Benefit, contact my constituency office or go to: www.cra.gc.ca/benefits or call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-387-1193

For free referrals to childcare resources in Surrey and North Delta, and for parenting workshops or access to the Family Resource Programs call Options at 604-572-8032 or
go to www.childcareoptions.ca

How to apply for the Child Tax Benefit?

The Canada Child Tax Benefit is a non-taxable amount paid every month to help eligible families with the cost of raising children.

To get the benefit, you must have a child under the age of 18 living with you; be the person who is primarily responsible for the care of that child; be a resident of Canada; and you or your spouse or your common-law partner must be either:

• A Canadian citizen;
• Or a permanent resident
• Or a protected person
• Or a temporary resident (as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and who has a valid permit in the 19th month.

You should apply for the benefit as soon as possible after your first child is born; or immediately after a child comes to live with you; or when you or your spouse or common-law partner meets the conditions described above.

To apply for the Benefit, you must complete the Canada Child Tax Benefit Application Form RC66, and you may need to attach proof of birth of your child to your application. To continue getting the Benefit, you and your spouse or your
common-law partner have to file a tax return.

For more information, contact my constituency office or go to: www.cra.gc.ca/benefits
or call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-387-1193

How to Apply for a Canadian Passport?

I encourage all Canadian citizens to obtain a Canadian passport. In order to have Canada’s protection when you travel it is advisable to always carry one.

To ensure timely processing of your passport application, please be sure to submit all the necessary documents with your application.

To obtain a passport, you must:

• Complete and sign all pages of the application form;
• Provide two identical passport photos taken within the last 12 months;
• Have the application form and one photo signed by an eligible guarantor;
• Provide original proof of Canadian citizenship;
• Provide any previous Canadian travel document issued to you within the last five years, such as a passport, a certificate of identity or a travel document;
• Provide at least one document to support your identity with your current name and signature, such as a driver’s licence, a provincial health care card, an old age security card, etc.
• Pay the appropriate passport fee.

Passport applications are available from the local passport office, Canada Post
outlets, online at www.ppt.gc.ca
or from my constituency office.

About the Caring Canadian Award?

When the Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc became Governor General of Canada, he was determined to thank the thousands of caring people who give so much to their fellow citizens, the unsung heroes who volunteer their time, their efforts and a great deal of their lives to helping others, and who ask for nothing in return.

In April 1996, the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award was created to recognize the fine example set by these special volunteers whose compassion and charitableness are such a part of the Canadian character.

This Volunteer Award honours Canadians for unpaid voluntary activities, most often behind the scenes at the community level. They have given extraordinary help or care to individuals, families or groups, or supported community service or humanitarian causes. Recipients usually have been involved in these activities for several years and normally have not been recognized with a national or provincial honour.

If you know a friend, neighbour or member of your community who deserves this unique honour, you could complete a nomination form, found at http://www.gg.ca/honours/form/caringnom_e.html. There is no deadline for nominations and awards are announced in press releases on an ongoing basis.

For more information please contact my constituency office.

How to Find a Job?

Finding a job in BC has never been easier with our booming economy and the many resources provided by the Government of Canada:

Canada Jobset

Provides career exploration resources and job listings. You will also find job search tips to learn how to market yourself, locating unadvertised jobs, applying for wage subsidy programs and job search safety tips. Call 1 800 827-0271 or go to www.jobsetc.ca on the internet.

Lower Mainland Employment Resources

This is a comprehensive listing of government subsidized programs in the Lower Mainland with specialized services for the disabled, immigrants, youth and older workers and those in substanceabuse recovery programs. Call 604-522-3722 or go to www.lmer.ca.

Surrey Employment Resource Centre

Located in Newton, this is perhaps the best place for residents of Newton – North Delta to locate job resources. They offer local phone and fax service, photocopying, and a computer lab with free internet access and resume writing programs. There is a comprehensive library with reference materials for job search, career planning and training research. You will also be able to have professional employment counselors
assist you with re-entering the work force. Visit them at 102 – 13771 72A Ave, Surrey Call 604-501-2224 or go to www.serc-n.com.

How to Apply for Employment Insurance?

To be entitled to maternity, parental or sickness benefits you must show that:

• Your regular weekly earnings have been decreased by more than 40% and
• You have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim.

This period is called the qualifying period. If you have been paid EI benefits in the past and you received a written notice, for example, a warning letter or a penalty letter, for making a false statement, the required number of hours worked to claim maternity, parental and sickness benefits will be higher.

The qualifying period is the shorter of:

• The 52 week period immediately before the start of a claim, or
• The period since the start of a previous EI claim if that claim had started during the 52 week period.

You must request your Record of Employment (ROE) from your last employer. If you have your ROE, apply immediately. If you did not receive your ROE, submit your application along with proof of employment – for example, pay stubs. If one or more ROE covering periods prior to your last employment is missing, you must still submit your claim for benefits.

Once they have all the required information and if you qualify for benefits, your payment will be issued usually within 28 days from the date of filing your claim. If you do not qualify, they will notify you of the decision made on your claim.

For more information, please contact Service Canada at: 604-590-3346 or contact my constituency office.

About Home Adaptations For Seniors’ Independance?

Home adaptations for Seniors’ Independence helps homeowners and landlords pay for minor home adaptations to extend the time low-income seniors can independently live in their homes.

Homeowners and landlords may qualify for assistance as long as the occupant of the dwelling where the adaptations will be made meets the following eligibility criteria:

• is 65 or over;
• has difficulty with daily living activities brought on by ageing;
• total household income is below a specified limit;
• dwelling unit is a permanent residence.

Assistance is a forgivable loan up to $3,500.00. The loan does not have to be repaid as long as the homeowner agrees to continue to occupy the unit for the loan forgiveness period, which is six months.

The adaptations should be minor items that meet the needs of seniors with an age-related disability. They could be: handrails; easy-to-reach work and storage areas in the kitchen; lever handles on doors; walk-in showers with grab bars; bathtub grab bars and seats. All adaptations should be permanent and fixed to the dwelling.

Work carried out before the loan is approved in writing is not eligible for funding under this program.

For more information, please contact my constituency office.