Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Manitoba

The Money That's Available

A grandparent raising a grandchild in Manitoba can access both provincial and federal financial support. None of it requires adopting the child, and most of it doesn't require a court order.

EIA Section 5(1)(f) child-only assistance is the provincial payment stream. It provides monthly basic needs allowances (food, clothing, personal care), shelter cost adjustments for the larger household, provincial health coverage for prescriptions and dental, and annual clothing and school allowances. The grant assesses the child's financial need — the grandparent's pension income isn't counted against the child's claim.

Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is the big federal payment — up to $679.75/month for a child under 6 or $573.58/month for ages 6–17. It's tax-free, and households with adjusted family net income of $38,237 or less receive the full amount. File Form RC66 with the CRA, with proof that the child lives with you.

Manitoba Child Benefit (MCB) adds up to $35/month per child for households with net income under $15,000. One catch: the cash MCB isn't payable if the child receives full EIA basic assistance. But families on EIA still get health and optical benefits through the MCB-linked Opti-Care program ($84/year for prescription eyeglasses).

Rent Assist helps with shelter costs — built into EIA for recipients, or available as a standalone benefit for non-EIA low-income households.

Child Care Subsidy reduces licensed daycare fees for children 12 weeks to 12 years. Income-tested, with substantial subsidies for low-income grandparents.

You Don't Need a Court Order

Many grandparents assume they need a guardianship order to get financial help. In Manitoba, you don't — not for EIA, not for the CCB, not for most provincial benefits.

What you do need is documentation of the care arrangement. The easiest path is the In Loco Parentis Acknowledgement and Agreement from Legal Aid Manitoba (1-800-261-2960). Both the parent and grandparent sign it, confirming the grandparent is acting in the place of a parent. This form satisfies EIA intake requirements and serves as proof of care for the CCB application.

If the parent can't or won't sign, alternatives exist: a written confirmation letter from Child and Family Services, a court order, or in some cases a statutory declaration.

A court guardianship order (filed using Form 70F at the Court of King's Bench) becomes worth pursuing when the parent is uncooperative, when schools or hospitals demand formal legal documentation, or when the grandparent wants permanent legal decision-making authority.

Where to Start

First call: EIA intake. Phone 204-948-4000 in Winnipeg or 1-855-944-8111 for rural and northern Manitoba. Tell them a grandchild is living with you and you want to apply for Section 5(1)(f) child assistance.

Second step: CCB transfer. Submit Form RC66 to the CRA with proof of care. Attach a school enrollment letter, a doctor's note, or the In Loco Parentis agreement. The CRA will determine which months are eligible. If the child started living with you more than 11 months before you apply, the CRA requires additional documents; caregivers in kinship or close-relationship programs may be eligible for prior-year benefits.

Third step: Manitoba Child Benefit. Apply by mail to Provincial Services at 100–114 Garry Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4V4 (phone: 204-948-7368, toll-free: 1-877-587-6224).

Start the EIA and CCB applications promptly. Apply for the Manitoba Child Benefit after you meet its CCB eligibility condition; each program follows its own timeline.

Free Help for Grandparents

Legal Aid Manitoba — legal representation for eligible low-income grandparents, plus the In Loco Parentis form. Offices in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson, The Pas, Dauphin. Call 1-800-261-2960.

Community Legal Education Association (CLEA) — free legal information and 30-minute lawyer consultations through the Law Phone-In at 204-943-2382 (toll-free: 1-800-262-8800).

The Legal Help Centre — drop-in legal clinics at 521 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, for households with income under $50,000. Call 204-258-3096.

CANGRANDS — a national peer-support network for grandparents raising grandchildren across Canada. Not a government agency — a community of grandparents who've been through it.

211 Manitoba — dial 2-1-1 for a referral to community services including food banks, emergency housing, and family support programs.

Community Financial Counselling Services — free tax filing help to unlock the CCB and other tax-based credits.

Indigenous Grandparents

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis grandparents have access to additional support pathways. Jordan's Principle is a federal policy ensuring First Nations children receive equitable access to services — kinship caregivers can request funding through Jordan's Principle navigators for medical supplies, educational supports, therapy, and respite care when provincial programs delay or decline coverage.

On-reserve financial assistance is administered through First Nations social development departments under federal guidelines. Off-reserve grandparents apply through the provincial EIA system on the same terms as other kinship caregivers.

Indigenous CFS agencies prioritize Customary Care arrangements that keep children connected to family and community under traditional caregiving practices.

What This Guide Covers

The Manitoba Kinship Financial Help Guide brings every benefit, application step, and document requirement into one place — organized by the type of arrangement you have (informal, In Loco Parentis, or court order) so you can see exactly what applies to your situation.

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