The Federal and provincial governments of Canada deliver social programs to their citizens. The most significant of those are in the area of Education, Health services, Family assistance and childcare, Income support and Retirement.

Here is an overview of these.

1-Education

Education is compulsory for all children from ages 5, 6 or 7 (depending on the Province or Terrirory) to ages 15 or 16. Primary and Secondary education is also free across Canada. In Quebec, colleges which are called CEGEP (for collèges d'enseignement général et professionel) also only charge minimal tuition fees.

Private and post secondary schools do charge tuition fees, as do universities. Though autonomous, universities are financed in significant but varying degree by provincial governments. The tuition fees they charge their students vary significantly from province to province. At about $ 2000 per year, Quebec charges among the lowest University fees in North America as the following table illustrates.

Loans and scholarship programs are available for university as well as college students.

Provincial governments are in charge of Education in Canada. They set Education programs, which though similar, vary across the country.

They also set standards and allocate subsidies. However school management is independent from government. In Quebec, school boards, made up of members elected by the population, are in charge of this.

Useful links

2-Universal and free health services

Permanent residents and citizens of Canada are provided free medical services. These services are delivered through a network of government funded health establishments such as hospitals and doctors who are remunerated out of public funds. Under the Canadian system, medical and hospital care, some optometry and dental services as well as medical care received while travelling in another country are provided free of charge. For details please consult the following useful links.

Useful links

• Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (English website)
• Canada's health care system
  

3-Prescription Drug Insurance Plan (Quebec)

Quebec is the only province in Canada where everyone must be covered by prescription drug insurance. Under this system, all persons not covered by a privately funded plan (group insurance or employee benefit plan) must join the Quebec government Precription Drug Insurance Plan. This is a public plan to which persons who join must pay an annual premium. In return, the plan pays a significant portion of the cost of purchase of drugs prescribed by doctors.

4-Family assistance and childcare

Several measures help families. In Quebec the most important are:

• The Canada Child Tax Benefit: this is a tax free monthly payment made by the Government of Canada to eligible families, to help them pay for the cost of raising children under age 18.
• The Régie des rentes du Québec and child assistance: this is a refundable tax credit paid to eligible families with one or more dependent children under the age of 18 living with them.
• A network of Quebec government subsidized Childcare services (more details below).
• The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (more details below).
  
  

Quebec has implemented a network of subsidized chidcare services for children aged 0 to 4. Parents costs are limited to $7 per day for each child they have in an eligible daycare center. The government of Quebec pays the difference to cover the cost to the center. Children in kindergarden and primary school may also benefit from this program while in a school.

Under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan salaried and self-employed workers who take maternity leave, paternity leave or adoption leave may be entitled to benefits while away from work.

Useful links

• Child Assistance in Quebec
• Canada Child Tax Benefit
• The Régie des rentes du Quebec and child assistance
• Childcare services in Quebec
• Quebec Parental Insurance Plan
  

5- Retirement support

Several government programs help Canadians save for retirement:

• The Old Age Security Program (OAS, Government of Canada)
• The Canada and Quebec pension plans (CPP and QPP)
• The Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
• Private pension plans set up by several (but not all) employers to which they and their employees contribute.
  
  

Useful link :Canada Benefits (Government of Canada website)

a) The Old Age Security Program

Under the OAS program, permanent residents and citizens of Canada 65 years old and over receive a monthly pension benefit. This pension is paid even to persons who may still be working or who have never worked. The amount to which they are entitled depends on the number of years they have resided Canada since turning 18. To receive the pension while living in Canada, persons must have lived in this country for at least 10 years, and for at least 20 to receive the pension abroad. Immigrants who may not fall into one of these categories may still receive part of the pension if they came from a country which has entered into a social security agreement with Canada.

The OAS pension is paid by the Federal Government and is indexed quarterly to the cost of living. It is taxable and in 2008, if you earn more than $64 718 annually, you have to pay it back partially. If you earn more than $104 903 you must pay it back totally.

Recipients with low income may also be entitled to the Guaranteed Income Supplement as well as an allowance under the Allowance Program.

Source : Adapted from Old Age Security Benefit Payment Rates

Useful links

• Old Age Security Pension
• Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Allowance Program
  
  

b) Canada and Quebec Pension Plans (CPP and QPP)

The Canada Pension Plan and its equivalent the Quebec Pension Plan (called Régime des rentes du Québec in French) for persons who work in this province, are public pension plans. All workers must contribute to these during their active life in order to be entitled to a pension when they retire. This pension is in addition to the OAS.

Pension benefits are paid starting age 65 but retirees may be eligible to a reduced pension as early as at age 60. Surviving spouses and children of deceased persons who contributed to these plans during their lifetime are also entitled to benefits.

Source : CPP Payment Rates See also Quebec Pension Plan Figures.

Useful links

• Canada Pension Plan
• Régie des rentes du Québec (Quebec Pension Plan)
  

c) Private pension plans and Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP's)

Numerous employers have set up private pension plans for their employees, to which they both contribute. Contributions to these plans are tax deductible. In Quebec, about 1 worker in 2 participates to such a plan. During retirement, workers are able to draw benefits from such plans.

Similarly workers are permitted to accumulate funds into Registered Retirement Savings Plans during their active life. The savings thus invested are tax deductible as well as any investment income generated in such plans. They become taxable only when used as a source of income, for instance during retirement.

6-Income Assistance

a) Employment Insurance

Employment insurance is a Government of Canada program to which workers contribute and which entitles them to receive benefits when they have been laid off. These benefits are paid to workers for a certain period while unemployed or while they go into training.

Under special circumstances this program may also provide benefits to persons who must take leave from work to care fo a gravely ill close family member.

b) Last resort financial assistance

Provincial governments also manage programs designed to provide last resort financial assistance to persons who have no other source of income. In Quebec there are two such programs: The Social Assistance Program and the Social Solidarity Program.

The Social Assistance Program grants last-resort financial assistance to people with no severely limited capacity for employment. The Social Solidarity Program is for people with severely limited employment capacity.

Useful links

• Employment Insurance
• Last resort financial assistance (Quebec)