This lays it all out:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/e...shtml#eligible

I was able to live off my maternity benefits, while still paying the bills and my student loans. Though we made a budget and some lifestyle changes (like only having 1 car instead of 2 and my husband takes the bus to work). You just need to figure out how much you will be getting and how you can live within that. I have some friends that went into debt while on maternity leave, but we were actually able to regularly put money into savings while on my maternity leaves.

But also remember that you will be getting the Canada Child Care benefit of $100 a month per child, and possibly the National Child Benefit Supplement (if you qualify).

But I know several ladies on here kept their daycare open with the newborn and had their husbands take paternity leave. It is very limiting on how much money you can make while on maternity EI benefits, so you pretty much have to choose one or the other (EI or continuing to work).