The federal government is making it easier for Canadian families to plan for their children's post-secondary education by introducing automatic enrolment for the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), a program designed to help students from low-income families save for future studies.
Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon announced Friday that, starting in 2028, eligible children born in or after 2024 will be automatically enrolled in the CLB at age four if they have a valid Social Insurance Number and do not already have a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). The move is expected to provide financial support to an additional 130,000 children annually.
“For many families, navigating government programs can be complex, and that means too many children miss out on important benefits,” MacKinnon said. “Automatic enrolment will remove barriers and ensure more children get the financial support they need to pursue higher education.”
The CLB provides up to $2,000 in an RESP for eligible children without requiring any personal contributions. The funds can be used for tuition, books, tools, transportation, and other education-related expenses at universities, colleges, trade schools and apprenticeship programs.
Employment and Social Development Canada has already begun notifying parents and caregivers about the upcoming changes through letters. Additional notifications will be sent throughout the year to inform families that, if they do not open an RESP by the time their child turns four, the government will do so on their behalf.
The CLB is also retroactive, allowing eligible adults born in 2004 or later to apply for the benefit until the day before they turn 21. Beginning in April 2028, the application deadline will be extended to age 30, giving young adults more time to access the funding.
The CLB provides up to $2,000 in an RESP for children from low-income families, with no personal contributions required. — As of 2023, only 43.1 per cent of eligible recipients had accessed the benefit, leaving 2.7 million children and youth without it. — Since 2004, approximately two million children and young adults have received a total of $2 billion in CLB funding. — The new automatic enrolment process will apply to children born in or after 2024, beginning in 2028.
With this initiative, the federal government aims to increase participation in the CLB and help more families save for post-secondary education, ultimately strengthening Canada’s workforce and economy.