Last year a newcomer came through our doors at Action for Healthy Communities as a last resort to seek help accessing the Canada Child Benefit for his family. This is the experience the newcomer shared in his own words, how our team were able to assist him and his family to access the benefits after facing some challenges in their prior attempts.
“My name is H.B , and I am a father of seven children, all under the age of 14. My wife, children, and I immigrated to Canada in May 2023. Upon arriving, we encountered numerous challenges, one of which was applying for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). A case worker had assisted us in completing the CCB application forms for our family. However, due to the language barrier, we were not fully aware of how the application was submitted or what had been done.
After waiting nearly 14 months without a response from the CRA, we finally received a letter on the 15th month requesting numerous supporting documents. Unfortunately, we did not understand why these documents were required or how to obtain them. We sought assistance from multiple offices in Edmonton, but they simply advised us to wait for the CRA’s response. This left us feeling helpless and uncertain about the process.
Eventually, my wife and I gave up on pursuing the CCB benefits, despite relying on them financially. We had already borrowed a significant amount of money from friends and were overwhelmed by the confusion surrounding our application. At that point, we felt it was not worth the struggle to follow up further.
However, in September 2024, when I started school, one of my classmates referred me to Mina from Action for Healthy Communities (AHC). He assured me that if I needed someone who could persistently follow up on my case and provide support with important applications, Mina was the right person. Taking his advice, I visited the AHC office as a walk-in client. Although I did not meet Mina on my first visit, I completed an intake form, and she called me two days later to schedule an urgent appointment.
Mina provided unwavering support throughout the entire process. She guided us step by step, contacted the CRA office on our behalf, waited over two hours on hold, and provided interpretation services during crucial calls. With her assistance, we clarified our situation with the CRA agent, who then extended our deadline and reassured us that our application would not be declined as long as we submitted the necessary documents.
Mina’s support went beyond phone calls — she helped interpret at doctor’s offices for each child, obtained school letters, coordinated with various agencies, and even drafted a separate letter explaining our barriers. Thanks to her dedication, we managed to gather all the required documents and mail them before the deadline.
Fortunately, we recently received a final letter from the CRA confirming that our benefits would be issued retroactively from the date we arrived in Canada. We have now received over $40,000, which has been a tremendous relief for our family, as we were facing significant financial hardship.
Words cannot fully express my gratitude to Mina and the AHC office. Their consistent support, compassion, and kindness have made an immeasurable difference in our lives. I am incredibly thankful that I took my classmate’s advice and sought their help. I sincerely pray for Mina and the entire AHC team everytime I remember their kindness.