BC Family Benefit: how much you get per child and when it is paid

What is the BC Family Benefit?

The BC Family Benefit (BCFB) is a tax-free monthly payment from the Province of British Columbia for families with children under 18. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) calculates it and adds it to the federal Canada Child Benefit (CCB), so BC parents receive both in one deposit.

The province fully funds the benefit and sets its rates, which apply from July to June. Two features set it apart from most provincial child benefits: a larger amount for the first child, and a guaranteed minimum per child that keeps middle-income families in the program.

How much is the BC Family Benefit for July 2026 to June 2027?

For the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year, the maximum BC Family Benefit amount is $145.83 a month for the first child, $91.66 for the second and $75 for each child after that. These maximums go to families with adjusted family net income (AFNI) of $30,176 or less in 2025.

The single-parent supplement

A single parent receives an extra $41.66 a month for the first child. A lone parent with one child and AFNI of $25,000 would therefore receive $145.83 plus $41.66, or $187.49 a month, on top of the federal CCB. The CRA recognizes you as a single parent based on the marital status on file, so report a separation with the CRA as soon as it happens.

What are the BC Family Benefit income thresholds?

The benefit is reduced in two stages. The CRA describes the rules for July 2026 to June 2027 this way:

1. At AFNI up to $30,176, the family gets the full maximum.
2. Between $30,176 and $96,562, the benefit falls by 4% of income over $30,176, but never below the guaranteed minimum for each child ($64.58, $62.50 and $60.41 a month).
3. Above $96,562, the remaining minimum is reduced by a further 4% of the income over that line until it reaches zero.

Worked example: two children, $50,000 income

A two-parent Kamloops family with two children and 2025 AFNI of $50,000 has a yearly maximum of $1,749.96 plus $1,099.92, or $2,849.88. Income over the threshold is $19,824, and 4% of that is $792.96. The yearly benefit is about $2,056.92, which works out to roughly $171.41 a month. That is above the combined minimum of $127.08 a month, so the minimum does not apply.

Worked example: two children, $100,000 income

At AFNI of $100,000 the first-stage reduction would wipe out most of the benefit, so the family falls back to the guaranteed minimum of $127.08 a month ($1,524.96 a year). Income above $96,562 is $3,438, and 4% of it is $137.52, leaving about $1,387.44 a year, or roughly $115.62 a month. These are estimates; your CRA notice shows the exact figure.

When is the BC Family Benefit paid?

BC Family Benefit payment dates are the same as the Canada Child Benefit dates, because the two are combined into one deposit. For 2026 the dates are January 20, February 20, March 20, April 20, May 20, June 19, July 20, August 20, September 18, October 20, November 20 and December 11.

The December payment comes early, on December 11, 2026. The 2027 dates are not yet announced; the CRA usually posts them late in the year, and the monthly list is kept on CCB payment dates.

BC Family Benefit eligibility: do I need to apply?

You do not apply separately for the BC Family Benefit. If you qualify for the Canada Child Benefit and live in British Columbia, the CRA assesses you automatically each July. To be eligible you must:

• Be eligible for the federal CCB for a child under 18 who lives with you.
• Be a resident of British Columbia.
• File a 2025 tax return, and have your spouse or common-law partner file too, for the July 2026 to June 2027 year.

If a partner's return is missing, the CRA cannot compute family income and may stop both the federal and BC amounts. Filing late usually leads to a recalculation and back payment. The federal rules are covered in CCB eligibility.

What if I move out of BC?

The BC amount stops once the CRA has you on file in another province, and that province's program replaces it if one exists. A family moving to Alberta, for example, switches to the quarterly Alberta Child and Family Benefit.

Other BC payments to know about

The BC Family Benefit is now the main BC amount that arrives with a federal CRA payment. The BC climate action tax credit, which used to be paid with the GST/HST credit, ended after its April 2025 payment; see BC climate action tax credit for why.

Lower-income BC seniors may receive a separate provincial top-up, explained on BC Senior's Supplement. A comparison with every other province is on provincial and territorial benefits.