Choice of Plan and Types of Benefits When a Child Arrives for Adoption

When a child arrives for adoption, the parents may be eligible for different types of benefits.

The amount of the benefit is calculated according to the percentage of average weekly earnings (% of earnings).

When you apply for benefits, you must choose between two options:

• The basic plan (long term)
• The special plan (short term)

The basic plan offers more benefit weeks, during which lower benefits are received.

The special plan offers less benefit weeks, during which higher benefits are received.

This choice determines the number of weeks of benefits when a child arrives for adoption that may be paid and the earnings replacement rate for these weeks.  

Both parents must choose the same plan. The choice of plan is determined by the first of the two parents who files an application. This binds the other parent, even in the case of shared custody.

Once your application is received, it will no longer be possible to change plans. Except under exceptional circumstances, your plan will stay the same for the duration of the benefit period.

You can use the Benefit Calculation Simulator to evaluate which of the two plans is more advantageous for you.

To be eligible for these benefits, the parents must ensure a regular presence with the child to care for them.

The benefit weeks may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks. These benefit weeks may not be shared between the parents of transferred to the other parent.

The exclusive adoption benefit weeks are added to the shareable adoption benefit weeks.

To find out if you are eligible for benefits in a situation of closely spaced adoptions, contact the Centre de service à la clientèle.

With exclusive adoption benefits, each parent could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

When adopting more than one child at the same time, each parent could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

If you are the only parent mentioned on the birth certificate or an equivalent document, you could receive

• 5 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 3 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

When the birth certificate or the equivalent document is modified by adding the name of a second parent, the Centre de service à la clientèle must be notified. The parent is eligible for single parent benefits only for the period during which they were the only parent mentioned on the birth certificate or the equivalent document.

In addition to adoption benefits exclusive to each parent, you could receive weeks of adoption benefits that are shareable between the parents. To be eligible for these benefits, the parent must ensure a regular presence with the child to care for them.

Both parents may share these benefits between them, according to their agreement. The benefit weeks may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks.

A single parent is also eligible for these weeks of shareable adoption benefits.

The purpose of welcome and support benefits is to meet the specific needs of parents who adopt a child. You could receive

• 13 weeks at 70% of your earnings with the basic plan (long term)
• 12 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

The adoption-related welcome and support benefits are not taken into account to obtain additional shareable adoption benefits. The parents may choose to receive shareable adoption benefits before taking advantage of adoption-related welcome and support benefits, if this option is more advantageous for them.  

With adoption benefits shareable between the parents, you could receive

• 32 weeks with the basic plan (long term):
  • First 7 weeks at 70 % of your earnings
  • Next 25 weeks at 55 % of your earnings
• 25 weeks at 75% of your earnings with the special plan (short term)

These benefits are added to the exclusive adoption benefits granted to each parent. 

The weeks of adoption benefits shareable between the parents may be taken at the same time by both parents or in different weeks. Both parents must agree on how to share parental benefit weeks. In the event of disagreement, unused weeks will be shared equally between the parents.

You could be eligible for additional weeks of shareable adoption benefits once sufficient shareable adoption benefit weeks have been paid to each parent.

For the basic plan (long term), each parent must have received at least 8 weeks of shareable benefits to be eligible for 4 additional weeks to be shared.

For the special plan (short term), each parent must have received at least 6 weeks of shareable benefits to be eligible for 3 additional weeks to be shared.

If you are eligible, you will receive a notice stating your eligibility once these weeks have been paid.