BOARD: Boosting the child benefit for Ontario families, London, Ontario
BOARD: Marcia Patterson - OCB Recipient, Mother of 3 children
"My name is Marcia Patterson, I have 3 children, Jordan, Denica and Dylan, and I started receiving the Ontario Child Benefit about a year ago. My oldest boy, he's obsessed with basketball, so it's paying for some of his camp to go Western to play basketball. It keeps him out of trouble, it keeps him off the streets, it gives him things to do..."
"The money is used for different sports activities for my kids. It helps afford the stuff I couldn't get before."
BOARD: Deb Matthews - Minister of Children and Youth Services
"Today we're here to celebrate the almost-doubling of the Ontario Child Benefit stating this month - it will grow from $600 per year to $1100 per year.
"We have a very ambitious poverty reduction strategy in this province. We know we need every child to be at their very, very best. It means kids will be healthier, they'll be happier and they'll do better at school. We all benefit from this, because our kids are going to be stronger, healthier and do better."
BOARD: Jennifer Smith - LUSO Community Services
"Today's announcement is fantastic for the families that we work with. They are dealing with low incomes and low levels of earnings. It means they can do things with their children, putting fruits and vegetables in their fridge so their children have access to health food or perhaps sending their kids to the YMCA camp we have right here in the community. They just wouldn't be able to do that without a benefit like this."
Marcia Patterson - OCB Recipient, Mother of 3 children
"With the extra money, as a mom - or as a single mom of three kids - that extra money just makes you feel like you're a better mom; a better parent, to be able to do that for your kids.
BOARD: For more information visit: Ontario.ca/childbenefit