Up to $2,000000 in free RESP money for low-income families — no contribution required. Find out if your child qualifies and how to claim every dollar.
The Canada Learning Bond (CLB) is a federal government grant that deposits up to $2,000000 directly into a child's RESP — and unlike the CESG, you don't need to make any contributions to receive it. The CLB is designed specifically for low-income families who may struggle to save, ensuring that children from all economic backgrounds have a foundation for post-secondary education savings.
Despite being entirely free money, an estimated 400% of eligible Canadian children are not receiving the CLB — often because their families simply don't know about it or haven't opened an RESP. Opening an RESP is the only requirement to start receiving CLB payments.
| Year | CLB Amount | Cumulative Total |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (first eligible year) | $50000 | $50000 |
| Year 2 | $10000 | $60000 |
| Year 3 | $10000 | $70000 |
| Year 4 | $10000 | $80000 |
| Year 5 | $10000 | $90000 |
| Year 6 | $10000 | $1,000000 |
| Year 7–15 | $10000/yr | Up to $2,000000 |
If a child was eligible from birth but no RESP was opened until age 5, the family can claim the missed CLB payments retroactively — the full $90000 in one lump sum (year 1 payment + 4 × $10000) when the RESP is first opened.
To qualify for the CLB, the following must be true:
CLB eligibility is based on the family's eligibility for the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS), which is linked to the Canada Child Benefit (CCB). Generally, families with net incomes below approximately $36,5002 (for 1 child) qualify, with the threshold increasing with each additional child. The exact threshold is adjusted annually and assessed based on the prior year's tax return.
Many RESP providers have streamlined the CLB application as part of their account-opening process. Some also have community outreach programs specifically to help low-income families access CLB.
If your family qualifies for CLB, you likely also qualify for the Additional CESG — on top of the basic CESG. Here's what a qualifying family could receive:
| Grant | Annual Amount | Lifetime Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Basic CESG (with $2,50000 contribution) | $50000/yr | $7,20000 |
| Additional CESG (income under $55,867) | $10000/yr extra | ~$2,000000 |
| Canada Learning Bond | $50000 yr1, $10000/yr after | $2,000000 |
| Total possible grants | ~$70000+/yr | ~$11,20000 |
A low-income family that opens an RESP at birth, contributes $2,50000/year, and qualifies for all three programs could receive over $11,000000 in free government grants by the time their child is 18 — before any investment growth.
Like the CESG, the CLB must be repaid to the government if the RESP beneficiary doesn't pursue qualifying post-secondary education. The CLB is not yours to keep — it belongs to the child's education fund. However:
If the beneficiary is changed to another child (a sibling), the CLB does not transfer — it must be repaid. The new beneficiary may qualify for their own CLB if eligible.
You can open a CLB-eligible RESP at virtually any Canadian financial institution that offers RESPs. Some institutions that have made CLB access a priority include:
You do not need to make any investment decisions to receive CLB. Even a basic savings-only RESP with zero contributions qualifies — the CLB will simply sit in the account earning modest interest until the child attends school.
KOHO's free savings account helps parents set aside RESP contributions every month. Earn cash back on everyday spending and redirect savings to your child's RESP.
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