A new integrated birth registration service has been announced by the federal and provincial governments to make it easier for Newfoundland and Labrador parents to apply for benefits for their newborns.
Service NL Minister Nick McGrath and Kellie Leitch, parliamentary secretary to Diane Finley, minister of human resources and skills development, announced the new service today which bundles the Social Insurance Number (SIN), Canada child benefits, Medical Care Plan (MCP) and Provincial Parental Benefits Program.
In one simple step, Leitch said parents will be able to register their child’s birth and apply for their child’s SIN and Canada child benefits.
“The birth of a child can be both joyful and stressful for parents, so we are pleased to be able to simplify a small part of that,” said McGrath. “By integrating our application systems, we are reducing red tape and parents will have easier access to Government of Canada and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador programs.”
Canada child benefits include the Canada Child Tax Benefit, the Universal Child Care Benefit, the GST/HST credit and the Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit. The Provincial Parental Benefits Program includes the Progressive Family Growth Benefit and the Parental Support Benefit.
With their child’s SIN, parents can also open a Registered Education Savings Plan and then apply for other Government of Canada benefits such as the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond.
More information on the integrated process for birth registration and other provincial benefits is available on the Service NL website at www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca or through regional Government Service Centres.
For general inquiries about Canada child benefits, visit the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/aba or call 1-800-387-1193.
For more information on the SIN, visit servicecanada.gc.ca, call 1 800 O-Canada (1‑800‑622‑6232) or 1-800-926-9105 if you use a teletypewriter (TTY).
