If you’ve ever stepped up to raise a child,
you know this shouldn’t come with a financial penalty to your family, especially the children.
Help us speak up for children in Section 54 permanency placements.
Families who step up to provide permanent homes for children should not be penalized for doing so. Yet in BC, many permanent guardians are denied access to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and related provincial supports simply because of the legal structure of their placement.
We are asking MLAs and MPs to help fix this inequity.
What can you do? It’s simple! Send a letter to your MLA and MP. We’ve made it easy for you. Take a look….
WHY THIS MATTERS
Children placed under Section 54.01 and 54.1 permanent guardianship are treated differently than children in other MCFD out-of-care arrangements. Even when families receive the same monthly maintenance funding and provide the same level of care, only some caregivers are eligible for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB).
The difference comes down to policy.
- Caregivers in the Extended Family Program can receive CCB
- Permanent guardians under Section 54 cannot
This creates a situation where permanency is financially penalized.
Families may lose:
- Up to $10,242 per year in federal and provincial benefits
- Up to $17,442 per year for children with disabilities once new supports are introduced
WHAT’S HAPPENING
When a child is placed under Section 54 permanency:
- Caregivers become the child’s legal guardians
- They take on full parental responsibility
- They provide day-to-day care, decision-making, and long-term stability
However, instead of allowing families to receive the Canada Child Benefit, MCFD claims the Children’s Special Allowance (CSA). This removes the caregiver’s eligibility for CCB and the supports tied to it. The result is a structural inequity that is not based on the needs of the child or the care being provided.
WHY THIS IS A PROBLEM
This policy:
- Discourages permanency for children
- Undermines placement stability
- Disproportionately affects Indigenous families
- Creates added hardship for children with disabilities
- Results in federal benefits not reaching the children they were intended to support
The BC Ombudsperson has already found this approach to be unfair.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING GOVERNMENT TO DO
We are calling on government to:
- Stop claiming the Children’s Special Allowance in Section 54 cases where only maintenance is provided
- Ensure permanent guardians can access the Canada Child Benefit
- Restore access to benefits tied to CCB eligibility
- Align policies across MCFD programs so children are treated equally
- Engage families and Indigenous leadership in meaningful reform
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Your voice matters. We are asking caregivers, relatives, and allies to send a letter to their MLA and MP. Even a short message helps bring attention to this issue. Here’s how:
- Open/save the sample letter (below) to your computer
- Personalize it with your own experience
- Attach the related document(s) and send it by email or mail and
Download the campaign materials:
You may also wish to copy:
- Minister of Children and Family Development Honourable Jodie Wickens
>> EMAIL: MCF.Minister@gov.bc.ca - Representative for Children and Youth
>> EMAIL: rcy@rcybc.ca - Office of the Ombudsperson
>> How to make a complaint
RAISE YOUR VOICE – it matters! And it has impact!
Children in permanent guardianship were promised stability, equity, and permanence. Right now, many are experiencing the opposite.
This is fixable.
With enough voices, we can bring attention to this inequity and push for change that supports children and the families who care for them every day.
Thank you for taking the time to speak up.
