The federal government is expanding its support for growing families. A new parental benefit in Canada is in the works, and here’s everything we know so far.

Carla Qualtrough, who is the Minister of Employment in Canada, said in an exclusive interview with CTV News that the government plans to introduce a 15-week benefit that includes parents who have a baby via a surrogate.

With this new benefit, these parents will have access to three and a half months of paid leave to spend with their baby.

Right now, Canada offers 15 weeks of paid leave for people who are pregnant or recently gave birth, as well as parents who are caring for their newborn or newly- adopted child.

In a statement to Curiocity, a spokesperson for Minister Qualtrough said that this initiative is part of the government’s efforts to modernize Canada’s EI system for today’s population.

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“Canada’s EI system is one of the oldest and most complex systems across the federal government. That’s why we’re fully committed to modernizing the system for the 21st century,” said the statement.

“We’ve consulted with unions, workers, employers, and other partners to build an EI system that works for the millions of Canadians who rely on it every year.”

Because of the complexity of the system, Qualtrough’s spokesperson said that they are taking a slow and steady approach to roll out the new parental benefit in Canada.

“Modernizing a complex system that serves millions of Canadians annually is a serious undertaking that needs careful consideration, and we’re taking the time to get it right.

Qualtrough said to CTV News that the benefit will be arriving “in the coming months.”

We’re big fans of equitable access to benefits for all Canadians and are happy that our government is too.

Lilly Paltsev

Regional Editor, Toronto  – Lilly is an editor with over five years of experience in local news and digital publishing. Having lived in Toronto her whole life, she’s always aware of what’s new in the city. She’s everyone’s go-to resource for the best things to do. Her mission is to make Curiocity’s readers feel excited about where they live and to infuse the world with positive vibrations.

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