Ontario Temporary Care Assistance for Grandparents and Kinship Caregivers

You took in your grandchild — or a niece, nephew, or family friend's child — and now you're paying for everything from groceries to school shoes on a budget that was never built for it. If you're in Ontario and the arrangement is temporary, the child is expected to return to a parent at the earliest opportunity, and you have no legal obligation to support them, Temporary Care Assistance may help.

What Temporary Care Assistance Actually Is

Temporary Care Assistance (TCA) is a financial benefit delivered through Ontario Works. It's designed specifically for adults who are providing temporary care for a child in financial need but who have no legal duty to support that child. That description can fit kinship caregivers — grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and family friends who step in when a parent cannot care for the child temporarily.

TCA pays a monthly amount toward the child's basic needs: food, shelter, clothing, and personal requirements. As of Ontario Works' April 2026 policy directive, the maximum is $274 for the first child and $224 for each additional child outside northern communities. In communities north of the 50th parallel without year-round road access, the maximum is $440 for the first child and $326 for each additional child. Additional allowances may apply for special diets or pregnancy-related nutrition.

The assistance is for temporary care. Ontario Works defines temporary care as a short stay with the expectation that the child will return to their parent at the earliest opportunity. There is no fixed maximum period, but the administrator decides case by case whether the arrangement remains temporary.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible for TCA in Ontario, these conditions need to be true at the same time:

• You are not the child's parent and have no legal obligation to support the child
• The child is in temporary care — they are expected to stay for a short period and return to a parent at the earliest opportunity
• The child is in financial need — Ontario Works assesses the child's income and assets, the parents' ability to support them, and efforts to secure available support; the child's asset limit is generally $500
• The child is not a dependent child for Ontario Works or ODSP, and you are not receiving compensation for the care under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act
• The child is living with you — they must physically reside in your home

You don't need a court order granting you custody or guardianship. You don't need a formal agreement with a Children's Aid Society, but compensation for care under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act can make the child ineligible for TCA.

The adult caregiver is the applicant, and assistance is provided on behalf of the child. Your own income and assets do not determine eligibility for TCA, though the child's own resources are considered.

How to Apply

TCA is administered at the municipal level through your local Ontario Works office. The process varies slightly between regions, but the general steps are:

1. Contact your local Ontario Works office — you can find yours through the Ontario government's social assistance locator or by calling 211
2. Tell them you need to apply for Temporary Care Assistance for a child in your care
3. Provide identification for yourself and the child (birth certificate, health card, or other ID)
4. Show that the child is living with you (school enrollment records, doctor's appointments at a local clinic, or a letter from a community organization)
5. Complete the Temporary Care Assistance application and Declaration of Support and Maintenance (Form 2212), along with any other forms the office requests

Processing times depend on your local office. Some municipalities process TCA applications within a few weeks; others take longer. If the child has urgent needs, ask about emergency assistance at the same appointment.

How TCA Works Alongside the Canada Child Benefit

TCA and the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) serve different purposes and come from different levels of government. TCA is provincial (Ontario Works); the CCB is federal (Canada Revenue Agency). You can receive both at the same time.

However, TCA caseworkers will usually ask whether you've applied for the CCB. If you haven't, they'll likely encourage you to do so — partly because it's money the child is entitled to, and partly because TCA is designed as a supplement, not a replacement for federal benefits.

The CRA's 2026–2027 service standards are 8 weeks for a complete online CCB application and 11 weeks for a complete paper application. TCA can bridge that waiting period. Ontario Works treats CCB payments as exempt income for social assistance, so receiving CCB does not by itself reduce TCA; you may qualify for both if you meet each program's rules.

If you haven't started your CCB application yet, the process begins with Form RC66 and proof that you're the child's primary caregiver.

Common Questions About Ontario TCA

Does TCA affect my taxes?

TCA is generally not taxable, but social assistance may be reported on a T5007 slip. If you receive one, include it on your return as CRA instructs; T5007 amounts are not taxable but are included in net income calculations.

Can I get TCA if the child's parent is still alive?

Yes. TCA doesn't require the parent to be deceased or to have their parental rights terminated. The child just needs to be living with you and in financial need.

What if Children's Aid is involved?

If a Children's Aid Society has placed the child with you and you receive compensation under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, TCA does not apply; that support is a separate funding stream. If a CAS is involved but you are not receiving compensation, ask Ontario Works to assess whether the arrangement meets TCA's temporary-care and financial-need rules. The CSA vs. CCB breakdown explains the federal side of that distinction.

Can I get TCA outside Ontario?

No. TCA is an Ontario-specific program. Other provinces have their own kinship financial supports — see our province-by-province guide for what's available in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.

Getting Everything the Child Is Entitled To

TCA is one piece of the financial support picture. Most kinship caregivers in Ontario are also eligible for the Canada Child Benefit, and if the child has a disability, the Child Disability Benefit adds up to $3,480 per year on top of the CCB. The Canada Learning Bond can set aside up to $2,000 for the child's education without you contributing a dollar.

Our complete guide walks through every federal benefit a kinship caregiver can claim, the forms you need, and exactly what proof the CRA will ask for — organized so you can work through it one step at a time instead of piecing it together from a dozen government websites.

See more Canada guides →