ACTIVE FAMILIES BENEFIT WILL ASSIST WITH COST OF CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

The Provincial Government is delivering on another campaign promise by moving forward on a new Active Families Benefit. Legislation to create the new benefit was given second reading in the Legislative Assembly today.

"The new Active Families Benefit will help families with the cost of their children's participation in cultural, recreational and sport activities," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Christine Tell said. "We will be providing a refundable tax benefit of up to $150 per year for children aged six to 14 years registered in cultural, recreational or sport programs."

Tell said children who are involved in positive activities early in life are more likely to have positive outcomes later in life.

"Children who take part in extracurricular activities do better in school and are in better shape physically," Tell said. "They are also less likely to become involved in negative activities like smoking, drug use and crime."

Families will need to retain receipts and complete an application form as part of their Saskatchewan income tax return and submit it to the Canada Revenue Agency along with their annual returns. Families will not be required to submit their receipts with their tax returns, but will be expected to retain their receipts for future reference if they need to verify their claims.

"It is anticipated that up to 120,000 Saskatchewan children and youth will benefit from the Active Families Benefit," Tell said. "The Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport will be consulting with major stakeholder organizations, such as Sask Sport, SaskCulture, the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association and in motion, to help define eligible cultural, recreational and sport activities and to assist in promoting the Active Families Benefit."

It is expected that program guidelines defining eligible activities will be completed by the fall of 2008. The Active Families Benefit will take effect January 1, 2009, and will provide about $18 million in tax relief to Saskatchewan families in the 2009 tax year.

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For more information, contact:

Janet Peters
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4967
Email: janet.peters@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-4909