The federal government expects to receive about 500-thousand applications for the nearly billion-dollar child dental benefit program.
Social Development Minister Karina Gould says 35-thousand families have applied for the new benefit since the program opened a week ago.
Gould was responding to an opposition question in the House of Commons yesterday about Canadians who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
The new benefit is aimed at children under the age of 12 from low- and middle-income families who do not have private insurance.
Eligible families can get up to 650-dollars per child per year to help with the cost of dental care.
The benefit is a cornerstone of the supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and New Democrats.