It will now be easier for parents from Prince Edward Island (PEI) to apply for Government of Canada benefits for their newborns. The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Doug W. Currie, Prince Edward Island Minister of Health and Wellness, announced a new, integrated newborn registration and Social Insurance Number (SIN) application process.
“I am very pleased that the Government of Canada is partnering with Prince Edward Island to improve government services, making them faster and easier for Canadian families to access,” said Minister Finley. “As a result of our combined efforts, parents are now able to register a child’s birth and also apply for a social insurance number in a simple, one-step process.”
“Streamlining these two processes is a way in which our governments can work together to improve service delivery to PEI residents,” said Minister Currie. “The more we can do to make life a little easier for parents at this important time, the better.”
Through the Newborn Registration Service, parents can complete one application and access multiple services for their newborn babies. Parents provide their consent on the provincial birth registration form to release their child’s birth information to Service Canada. This optional service makes it simpler for parents to apply for their child’s SIN. With their child’s SIN, parents can open a Registered Education Savings Plan and then apply for benefits from the Government of Canada for their child, such as the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond.
The new birth registration forms and information packages were distributed to hospitals earlier this month, and the service is now available.
The Newborn Registration Service complements the existing service that allows parents to apply for Canada Child Benefits, administered by the Canada Revenue Agency. This service was introduced to PEI residents in October 2009.
For more information on the integrated process for birth registration, SIN application and Canada Child Benefits, visit the PEI Vital Statistics Program or call (902) 838-0880 or 1-877-320-1253 (toll-free).
For general inquiries about Canada Child Benefits payments, visit the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/aba or call 1-800-387-1193.
For more information on Service Canada, please call us at 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622 6232) or 1-800-926-9105 if you use a teletypewriter (TTY). You can also visit us online at www.servicecanada.gc.ca or in person at over 600 points of service in communities throughout Canada.