Families in Airdrie, Alberta and Canada will receive higher Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payments this month as the federal government increases the tax-free benefit to help offset the rising cost of raising children.

The announcement was made in Airdrie by Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Calgary Confederation, on behalf of Secretary of State for Children and Youth Anna Gainey.

Beginning this month, eligible families can receive up to $8,157 annually for each child under the age of six and up to $6,883 for each child between the ages of six and 17. The increase amounts to as much as $160 more per child under six and up to $135 more per child aged six to 17 compared with the previous benefit year.

According to the federal government, approximately 500,000 Alberta families receive more than $4 billion annually through the program, supporting about 875,000 children across the province.

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Support for families

The Canada Child Benefit is a tax-free monthly payment available to eligible families based on household income, the number of children and their ages. The federal government said the program is indexed to inflation each year to help families keep pace with the cost of living.

Nationally, about 3.6 million families caring for roughly six million children receive the benefit, with annual payments totalling approximately $30 billion.

Building partnerships in Airdrie

Airdrie Deputy Mayor Kristen Shima said hosting the announcement in the city reflects the importance of collaboration between municipalities and the federal government.

“It’s very important to have it made here in Airdrie because it echoes the work that’s being done in Ottawa as we continue to build partnerships and relationships on the federal level,” Shima said. “It connects to the families and the children that have a huge impact in our local municipalities and communities and neighbourhoods.”

Shima said strengthening relationships with other governments will help support Airdrie’s long-term growth.

“Airdrie is very grateful to be building these relationships with other municipalities and other levels of government, and we are here to build community,” she said. “That’s what we really advocate for, and we work towards building long-term sustainability within our communities and neighbourhoods.”

The federal government said the increased payments are intended to help families cover everyday expenses such as groceries, clothing, school supplies and child care. For example, a family with one five-year-old child and one nine-year-old child earning an adjusted net family income of $65,000 would receive about $11,430 through the benefit during the 2026-27 payment year, nearly $400 more than the previous year.

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