Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch (Photo: Government of New Brunswick)
More low-income, working families now have access to the Canada-New Brunswick Housing Benefit program.
New Brunswick Minister of Social Development Bruce Fitch announced today, the program has been expanded to help families with employment incomes between $12,500 to $50,000, “The goal over the life of the program, because it is a limited time program is hopefully to help 6700 families. It is difficult to know exactly how many will jump on the program.”
“We are pleased to collaborate with our federal counterparts to allow more New Brunswick families have access to much-needed support,” Fitch says. “This will ensure that many hard-working New Brunswickers can have a higher quality of life and will allow more families to keep more money in their pockets.”
The seven year program was initially launched in June, but the income ranged between $14,000 and $38, 000..
“The housing benefit has an average between $300 up to $475 per month depending on the household income, composition and location,” Fitch says.
Applicants must meet specific criteria to qualify, including:
· They live and work in New Brunswick.
· They must be a parent with primary custody of a child or children under 19 or of one or more dependents with a disability, 19 or older.
· They rent where they live.
· They do not receive a housing subsidy from the Department of Social Development.
· They are working and earn a minimum of $12,500 per year and a maximum of $50,000 before tax household employment income. Note: This is the combined before-tax employment income of all adults over 19 living in the home.
· Their income is reported to Canada Revenue Agency.
· They are the only person in the household applying for and receiving this benefit.
