Financial assistance for families, assistance with social assistance, assistance in reconciling work and family life are reviewed. Housing price trends and policies are also discussed. Child benefit payments have a strong role in preventing poverty, but a key feature of the Canadian system is that child benefits are also paid to middle-income families in so far as they are aimed not only at fighting poverty but also at covering part of the costs of raising children. The recent reform introducing the Canada Child Benefit increases the level of support received by low and middle-income families.