Families

See how the party platforms stack up on a number of key issues. This list will be continually updated as more platform information is announced

Conservative Party of Canada

Establish income-sharing for couples with dependent children under 18 years of age, giving spouses the choice to share up to $50,000 of their household income for federal income-tax purposes
Double the children's fitness tax credit by providing up to $1,000 to help cover the costs of registration fees for physical activities
Establish a children's arts tax credit to cover up to $500 per child in expenses for arts or cultural activities
Extend the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, which provides up to $5,000 per unit to offset energy-efficiency improvements, by one year
Establish a family caregiver tax credit to provide support to those caring for infirm loved ones at home
Double the amount Canadians can save in their tax-free savings accounts
Party website | Party platform

A new six-month family care employment insurance benefit similar to the EI parental leave benefit, so that more Canadians can care for gravely ill family members at home without having to quit their jobs
A new family care tax benefit, modelled on the child tax benefit, to help low-and middle-income family caregivers who provide essential care to a family member at home. The measure will help an estimated 600,000 family caregivers each year at an annual cost of $750-million. (The website goes on to say that the "Family Care Plan" would be funded by cancelling the Conservatives' $6-billion corporate tax break.)
A $275-million-a-year "Affordable Housing Framework" that aims to reduce homelessness and build and maintain social housing that would be paid for by scraping the $1-billion Public Private Partnership Infrastructure Fund
Party website | Party platform

Increase time people can take off from work to care for a dying family member from six weeks to six months through the Employement Insurance Compassionate Care Benefit
Broaden flexibility in Employment Insurance benefits to allow people to take leave from work to care for family members nearing the end of their lives
Reduce the cost of everyday essentials like home heating Introduce a caregiver benefit of up to $1,500 per year to assist low and middle-income families to pay for everyday needs while caring for dependant family members
Party website | Party platform

Continue to support $184-million per year going to a federal child-care tax credit.
Gradual investment by the federal government until $2-billion per year is invested in social housing.
Party website | Party platform

Modify the Income Tax Act to enable income splitting
Establish a national affordable housing program, building 20,000 new units a year and renewing 8,000 existing units a year
Spend up to $1-billion a year to support existing and new child-care programs, including financial incentives for workplaces to create additional childcare spaces
Reduce income taxes through revenue-neutral tax shifting made possible through the carbon tax
Party website | Party platform