The fourth round of direct payments to parents will be made by the province, according to Ontario’s Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, in an effort to assist students who are trying to “catch up” in class after two years of COVID-19 learning disruptions.
Beginning this Thursday, parents in Ontario can submit applications for payments of $200 or $250 per child to help reduce expenses for things like tutoring, resources, and equipment to support their children.
Here’s what you need to know about who is eligible for the payments and how Ontario parents can apply.
Eligibility
Who may apply
You are eligible to apply if you live in Ontario and are a:
- parent or guardian to a student from kindergarten to Grade 12
- secondary school student who is 18 years of age
- parent or guardian to a student from kindergarten up to age 21 with special education needs
Eligible students
Students are eligible if they are:
- enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 12 and are up to 18 years old
- enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 12 are up to 21 years old and have special education needs
And
- go to a publicly funded school
- go to a private school
- go to a First Nation-operated or federally-operated school
- are homeschooled
Both in-person and remote learning students are eligible.
Students of Adult and Continuing Education programs for individuals over 18 years of age are not eligible.
How much is the one-time payment?
Parents in Ontario can receive $200 per school-aged child up to the age of 18, or $250 for each school-aged kid up to age 21 with special education needs.
For the purposes of this payment program, a student with special education needs is any student receiving special education programs or services from their school board or any student with a special education need.
How to Apply?
Families can apply for the payments through a secure portal on the Government of Ontario website where they can create a unique profile for each eligible student.
To apply, parents will need to create a “My Ontario Account” or log in using the Government Sign-in by Verified. Me,” which provides access through online banking.
Parents will need to submit a separate application for each student, and will need the following information:
- the name of their school and school board
- the student’s date of birth
- a valid e-mail address
- banking information (bank name, branch or transit number, and account number)
The deadline to apply is March 31, 2023.
How long will it take for parents to receive the payment?
Parents can apply online for the payments and request the money via e-transfer, direct deposit, or cheque.
Mr. Lecce has said that the money will be directly deposited into their accounts about two to three weeks after an application has been submitted. The Government of Ontario website says that it will take “a few weeks” to receive the payment, depending on the method of payment selected.
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