There are a number of programs, as I believe you're aware, that do address the needs of dependent minors, and they're income tested, so that if the family income does drop, they become eligible for a lot more benefits.
A simple example would be the Canada student grants program, which is income geared to assist students by providing grants to them, monthly grants, for post-secondary education, which go up as the family income goes down. These are grants so that these students aren't incurring debt.