The federal Connecting Families Initiative offers home Internet at $10 or $20 a month, plus tax, to families who receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit and to seniors who receive at least 80% of the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement. You cannot apply on your own: you must have received an invitation letter from the Government of Canada with an 8-digit code.
1. What the Connecting Families Initiative is
The Connecting Families Initiative is a Government of Canada program, overseen by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Internet service providers take part voluntarily and pay for the discount themselves: the government does not subsidize them. People who qualify can also request a low-cost digital device, while supplies last.
The program started in November 2018 with a $10-a-month plan. A second phase, launched on April 1, 2022, added a faster plan at $20 a month and opened the program to low-income seniors.
2. Who qualifies
There are two categories of eligible people:
- Families who receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit (CCB). You can estimate your amount with the child and family benefits calculator.
- Seniors who receive at least 80% of the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). You can estimate your amount with the Guaranteed Income Supplement estimator.
Eligibility is confirmed every year by the Government of Canada, based on household income and these benefits. If you are eligible, you receive a letter from Service Canada or the Government of Canada. Without this letter, you cannot sign up, even if you think you meet the conditions.
3. The two plans
With the letter, you can choose one of two discounted Internet plans. According to the plans page, upload speed matters for sending files, emails and the quality of audio and video calls. Your provider can help you choose.
Once you are signed up, you cannot change providers, unless you move to a place where your provider does not offer service.
| Plan | Price per month | Download | Upload | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | $10 plus tax | Up to 10 Mbps | 1 Mbps | 100 GB |
| Plan 2 | $20 plus tax | Up to 50 Mbps | 10 Mbps | 200 GB |
4. How to sign up
You sign up online, with the letter in hand:
- Go to the Connecting Families registration portal.
- Enter the 8-digit access code from your letter, your full name and the address shown on the letter. Use that address even if you have moved: you can correct it later.
- At the end, the portal shows the participating providers that offer wired Internet at your address. Choose one and contact it to sign up for one of the two plans.
- The provider will ask for your access code, your address and a valid piece of ID.
- Take a photo of your letter and your code, and keep it somewhere safe.
The list of participating providers includes Bell, Cogeco, Rogers, TELUS and Vidéotron, as well as two co-operatives, CCAP and CSUR. Because participation is voluntary, there may be no provider in your area. In that case, keep your letter and your code: they cannot be reissued.
If you already have a contract or a promotional offer with your current provider, you may have to pay the remaining value of that contract or offer.
5. No letter, or a lost letter
If you have not received a letter, first check whether you are eligible. If you meet the conditions but received nothing, it may be because you moved recently or threw the letter out by mistake. If you have lost your letter or your code, contact the Connecting Families Initiative team.
If you do not have Internet at home to sign up, you can go to a library or community centre that offers public Internet access. For technical help with the portal, the Computers for Success Canada call centre answers at 1-833-206-0599.
6. Your action list
Follow these steps to get discounted Internet. Check each box as you go: your progress is saved if you are signed in.
Your action list
0 of 6 done
7. Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about the Connecting Families Initiative.
Does the program also cover cell phones?
No. The Connecting Families Initiative is for Internet at home. To pay less for your phone, see our guide on choosing a phone plan in Quebec.
Will my provider see my tax information?
No. Providers do not decide who is eligible and do not get more personal information than with a regular Internet contract. ISED itself does not receive the list of names or addresses of the families who get a letter. You only give the provider your access code, your address and a valid piece of ID.
I receive the CCB, but not the maximum amount. Do I qualify?
Not as a family: the condition is to receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit. The government checks eligibility every year, so if your income drops, you may receive a letter in a later year. To understand how the CCB is calculated, see our guide on family allowances in Quebec and Canada.
8. See also
These related guides may be useful:
- Home Internet and TV in Quebec — the regular offers, speeds and contracts, if you do not qualify for the program.
- Family allowances in Quebec and Canada — how the Canada Child Benefit used to check eligibility is calculated.
- Choosing a phone plan in Quebec — the program does not cover phones.
- Libraries in Quebec — free Internet access to sign up if you have none at home.
Author's note: The Connecting Families letter looks like many other government mailings, and it is easy to throw out with the flyers. If you receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit or the Guaranteed Income Supplement, watch your mail carefully, and take a photo of the letter as soon as it arrives.
