Up to 97,000 Canadian families are expected to claim the parental sharing benefit per year
Cambridge, Ontario - Employment and Social Development Canada - Supporting parents and young families has always been a priority for the Government of Canada. That is why the Government will introduce the Employment Insurance parental sharing benefit.
At the Grow Community Centre, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced that in two days, soon-to-be parents will be eligible to receive extra weeks of parental benefits. In an effort to encourage more parents to share the work of raising their children more equally, the Government of Canada will launch the parental sharing benefit on March 17, 2019.
The new measure will be available to parents, including adoptive or same-sex parents, for a child born or placed for the purpose of adoption on or after March 17, 2019—as long as they are eligible for and share their Employment Insurance parental benefits. When parents agree to do so, they will benefit from one of the following:
- five additional weeks of parental benefits when choosing the standard option; or
- eight additional weeks for those who choose the extended option.
Corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code will also be made to ensure that federally regulated private‑sector employees have the right to take leave while receiving the parental sharing benefit without fear of losing their job.
Source : Government of Canada