The B.C. government has changed its rules for child care subsidies so they are no longer reduced for parents receiving spousal child support payments.

Provincial child care subsidies are paid to qualifying families, mostly with income of less than $40,000 a year. By not including child support in income calculation, the government expects to qualify or increase child care subsidies for about 900 families across the province.

In their 2015 budget, the B.C. Liberal government ended the practice of deducting child support payments from single parents’ income assistance and disability assistance.

“Parents who receive child support payments shouldn’t be penalized when applying for additional supports,” said Children and Family Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux. “These changes fix what we have heard from parents needed to be fixed and makes sure that the child care subsidy program is working for the families who need it most.”

Families receiving the child care subsidy will also be relieved of the chore of re-applying each year.

For details on finding child care services and qualifying for child care subsidies, see here.