The first monthly Canada child benefit cheques, worth up to $533 per child, went out to more than 3 million homes Wednesday.

But because 18-year-old Chantal Perrault has never filed a tax return, her 5-month-old baby Harlow is missing out.

“Wow, that is a lot of money. It would buy a lot of baby formula,” she said in a phone interview from Red Gut First Nation reserve near Fort Frances, Ont., where she lives in band housing with Harlow’s father, grandparents and two cousins.

Perrault is among thousands of indigenous parents on reserves who don’t regularly file tax returns, and therefore aren’t eligible to receive the income-based benefit aimed at lifting about 300,000 Canadian children out of poverty.

The benefit is expected to help about 8,000 indigenous children escape poverty. But 16,000 would be helped if all parents on reserve filed their taxes, The Canadian Press reported.

Indigenous children are twice as likely to live in poverty as non-aboriginal kids, according to a recent study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which found poverty rates among First Nations children living on reserves are about 60 per cent.

Canada Revenue Agency doesn’t track the percentage of tax filers on reserve, but a small 2010 study put the number as high as 50 per cent.

“Further analysis will be required to address limitations in source data and improve the picture of on-reserve filing rates as well identify barriers to filing for indigenous peoples,” said a spokeswoman for National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier.

This year, 186 community organizations in about 160 municipalities are focused on helping indigenous people file their tax returns and more are expressing interest to help in the future, said Chloé Luciani-Girouard.

Families with net annual incomes below $30,000 receive the maximum $6,400 a year for each child under age 6 and $5,400 per child for those from age 6 through 17.

Numerous government departments are working together to create greater awareness of federal benefits and to held individuals file taxes, said a spokesman for Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, who is in charge of the program.

“Minister Duclos has discussed this issue with indigenous leaders and has asked Service Canada to reach out to indigenous communities to support access to needed documents,” Mathieu Filion added, referring to social insurance numbers and birth certificates.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett was at Enoch Cree Nation reserve near Edmonton Wednesday to help spread the word.

“Improving the quality of life for indigenous children and families is a priority of our government,” Bennett said in a statement. “It is important that indigenous families are aware of this benefit and we are committed to provide the support they need to help with tax filing.”

The benefit, which replaces the universal child care benefit, Canada child tax benefit and national child benefit supplement, is a simpler, tax-free and better targeted option that will put more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families, according to the government.

Perrault tried to file a 2015 tax return at a commercial tax filing business in Fort Frances earlier this year. But she said she was told she would have to pay taxes for 2014, even though she lives on welfare and has never worked.

“In order to get that child benefit I would have to pay taxes,” she said.

“I didn’t have the money, so I didn’t do it.”

Perrault wasn’t sure if her band office offers tax filing assistance. But now that she realizes she was misinformed about the cost, Perrault said she “would definitely” try again.

No one with Red Gut First Nation, where about 150 live on reserve, was available to comment Wednesday.

On the nearby Seine River First Nation reserve, most families file their taxes, said Cheryl Buckshot, a child welfare worker in the band office which serves about 700 members, including 270 on the reserve.

Reminders are included in provincial social assistance cheques every February and March and a staff member is dedicated to helping families file their taxes, she added.

Out of 87 households on the reserve, 69 receive provincial social assistance cheques every month, she said.

“They know they need to file their taxes in order to get the various provincial and federal benefits that are available,” she said Wednesday. “But there are still some who don’t.”

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BY THE NUMBERS

$23 billion — Cost of the Canada child benefit in the Liberals’ 2016 budget.

$6,400 — Maximum benefit payment for each child under age six.

$5,400 — Maximum benefit payment for each child age six to 17.

$2,300 — Average benefit payments most families will receive.

3.3 million — Families who are expected to receive more under the new benefit plan.

500,000 — Families who are expected to receive the same or less.

293,000 — Estimated number of children expected to be lifted out of poverty through the new benefit.

8,000 — Number of indigenous children on reserve estimated to be lifted out of poverty through the benefit.

16,000 — Number of indigenous children on reserve who could be lifted out of poverty if all families filed their taxes.

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada, Finance Canada

The federal government’s new child benefit will arrive in bank accounts and mailboxes starting Wednesday. It replaces the universal child care benefit, the Canada child tax benefit and the national child benefit supplement.

Here are three things to know about the new program:

1) If you already receive the universal child-care benefit, or the child tax benefit, you don’t need to apply for the new one. Your information is already on file and all you have to do is file your 2015 tax return. Payments will arrive around the 20th of each month and be made by direct deposit if you’re signed up for it, or by cheque if that is how you received the universal child care benefit. If you have never received the benefit, sign up online at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/bnfts/tmtd-eng.html . You will need your child’s social insurance number and birth certificate. To receive your benefits, you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must both file an income tax and benefit return every year, even if you have not received income in the year.

2) The new child benefit won’t count as income, meaning when you file your tax return next year it won’t be taxed like the previous universal child-care benefit. Provinces have also said they won’t count the new money when calculating income-tested benefits like rent, welfare and child care supplements.

3) How much you receive is based on two things: the number of children under age 18 in your household and your net family income. Families with a net income of less than $30,000 receive the full benefit of $533 per month for a child under 6 and $450 per month for children 6 through 17. Benefit levels drop as income rises. Most families, on average, will receive about $191 per month. An extra $227 per month is added for a child who qualifies for a disability payment.