Active Families Benefit

Introduced in 2021, this The Active Families Benefit Act re-established the Active Families Benefit to increase youth participation in sport, culture and recreation activities and to help Saskatchewan families with the associated costs of their children’s participation.

For 2024, and in previous tax years, eligible families of a child 18 years of age or younger as of the last day of the taxation year, are eligible for a fully refundable tax benefit up to $150 per child, or $200 per child with a disability.

The benefit is available to families with an adjusted family income of $60,000 or less. This ensures that the families who need the benefit the most can access it.

Note – The Saskatchewan Affordability Act introduced significant enhancements to the Active Families Benefit program for the 2025 and subsequent taxation years. The refundable tax benefit is being doubled to $300 per child or $400 per child with a disability. In addition, the benefit will be available to families with adjusted family income of $120,000 or less.

Parents with children who are involved in any of the following sport, cultural or recreational activities are eligible.

Sporting activities: that provide exposure, training, or participation in any field of sport in an organized and competitive environment that requires strategy, physical training and mental preparation.

Recreational activities: that provide exposure, training or participation in any field of recreation designed to refresh, provide satisfaction, entertain and provide physical or mental benefits.

Cultural activities: that provide exposure, training, or participation in the field of arts, heritage or multiculturalism.

These activities will be further defined in The Active Families Benefit Regulations.

Eligible programs are the ones that:

• are offered by a service provider located in Saskatchewan;
• involve instruction and supervision by the service provider;
• require registration with the service provider and the payment of a registration fee or membership fee in order for a child to participate; and
• the eligible activities will be further defined in The Active Families Benefit Regulations.

Programs that are not eligible:

• Programs that are part of a school's curriculum or part of activities that take place in a child care are not eligible for the Active Families Benefit. Attending major sporting events, watching football games or movies, or family recreational events are not eligible.
• Programs offered by family members are also not eligible.
• Ineligible activities will be further defined in The Active Families Benefit Regulations.

The Active Families Benefit is administered through the income tax system by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Therefore, families must file their personal income tax return with the CRA to claim the benefit.

The personal income tax return package will have a form or schedule that families need to complete and submit with their return to CRA. Families are not required to submit the receipts with their income tax return but are expected to retain them for future reference for verification purposes by the Government of Saskatchewan or CRA.

For more information on the Active Families Benefit refer to our Frequently Asked Questions in the related items below.