The Northwest Territories Child Benefit (NWTCB) is a tax-free monthly payment for low- and modest-income families in the NWT with children under 18. The Government of the Northwest Territories pays for it, and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) runs it. It arrives in the same deposit as your Canada Child Benefit (CCB), so you get one payment, on the dates shown in the calendar at the top of this page.
How much you can get (July 2026 to June 2027)
The amount depends on how many children you have, how old they are, and your family net income from the previous year. For July 2026 to June 2027, the CRA uses your 2025 tax return, plus your spouse’s or common-law partner’s.
These are the maximum monthly amounts for July 2026 to June 2027:
| Number of children | Children under 6 | Children aged 6 to 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $67.91 | $54.33 |
| 2 | $122.25 | $97.83 |
| 3 | $166.41 | $133.08 |
| 4 | $203.75 | $163.00 |
| Each child after the 4th | add $30.58 | add $24.41 |
You get the full amount if your family net income is under $30,000. Between $30,000 and $80,000 you get part of it, and it gets smaller as income rises. At $80,000 it stops.
Examples
- A single parent with one child aged 4 and a family net income of $22,000 is under $30,000, so they get the full $67.91 a month from the NWTCB, on top of the CCB.
- A couple with two children aged 8 and 11 and a family net income of $28,000 gets the full $97.83 a month.
For higher incomes, or children in both age groups, the CRA’s child and family benefits calculator shows your NWTCB and CCB together.
Who qualifies
You can get the NWTCB if all of these are true:
- You live in the Northwest Territories.
- You’re the parent or main caregiver of at least one child under 18 who lives with you.
- You qualify for the Canada Child Benefit.
- Your family net income is under $80,000.
- You, and your spouse or partner if you have one, file a tax return every year, even with no income.
How to get it
There is no separate application. The CRA checks whether you qualify when it works out your CCB.
- Apply for the Canada Child Benefit. You can do this when you register your baby’s birth, in CRA My Account, or with form RC66.
- File your tax return every year, on time. Your spouse or partner must file too.
- Keep your address, bank account and marital status up to date with the CRA.
If you already get the CCB and live in the NWT, you don’t need to do anything else.
What changed in 2026
The rates in the table above are the ones the CRA lists for July 2026 to June 2027, and they match the annual amounts on the GNWT’s own page. Your payment is recalculated every July from your latest tax return, so it can change even when the rates don’t. The next recalculation is in July 2027.
One related change: in July 2026 the federal GST/HST credit was renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. It is paid separately from the CCB, four times a year.
Payment late, missing or different?
Because the NWTCB comes with your CCB, a late NWTCB almost always means a late CCB deposit.
- Wait 5 working days after the payment date.
- Check the payment in CRA My Account.
- Still missing? Call CRA benefits at 1-800-387-1193. For general tax questions, the CRA line for Yukon, the NWT and Nunavut is 1-866-426-1527.
Common reasons a payment stops or changes: a tax return (yours or your partner’s) wasn’t filed, you didn’t answer a CRA letter, you moved or changed banks without telling the CRA, your marital status changed, your income went up, or a child turned 18. Our where is my payment page walks through the checks.
Watch for scams. The CRA never asks for payment by gift card, prepaid card, e-transfer or cryptocurrency, and it doesn’t send refunds or benefit payments by text message or e-transfer. It won’t email you a link asking for personal or banking details. If a message says you must pay a fee to get your benefit, it’s a scam. Hang up and call the CRA yourself.
Other help you might be missing
- Canada Child Benefit: the main federal payment that the NWTCB rides along with.
- The Child Disability Benefit: an extra amount added to the CCB for a child approved for the Disability Tax Credit.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit): a quarterly payment that includes an amount for each child.
- Canada Workers Benefit: a tax credit for people working on low incomes, paid partly in advance.
- NWT Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit: for an older family member in the NWT who gets OAS and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
- Not sure what else fits your family? Try our benefits checkup.
Common questions
When is the NWT Child Benefit paid?
It’s paid on the same day as the Canada Child Benefit, usually the 20th of the month. The calendar at the top of this page shows every date for the year.
Do I have to apply for the NWT Child Benefit?
No. If you get the CCB and live in the NWT, the CRA checks for you. You just need to file your tax return every year.
Is the NWT Child Benefit taxable?
No. It’s a non-taxable benefit, so you don’t report it as income on your tax return.
What is the income limit for the NWT Child Benefit?
Families with net income under $30,000 get the full amount. It shrinks between $30,000 and $80,000 and stops at $80,000.
Why don’t I see a separate NWT Child Benefit payment?
The CRA combines it with your CCB into one monthly deposit. Your CCB notice and CRA My Account show how much of it is the NWTCB.