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Grants for seniors in Canada can cover the cost of things like
pull out shelves and much more. Read below to get full details!

It is important for seniors to be able to live comfortably and be able to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. There are several Canadian Government grants for seniors to help make it possible for them to be independent, able to look after themselves, and stay in the familiar environment of their own home. We’ve compiled a list of Canadian government grants for seniors available in various provinces and for seniors living on reserves. One inexpensive improvement that can greatly improve accessibility in your kitchen is installing sliding shelves. Contact DIY Shelfworks today to find out how easy it is to transform your current hard to reach shelves into simple, pull-out shelves, putting every item in your cupboards within reach.

Click on your province or territory below to find out which
government grants or loans are available to you.

BC / AB / SK / MB / ON / QC / NB / NS / PEI / NL / YT / NT / NU

 

 

Canadian Government Grants for

Seniors by Province

If you would like to renovate your home to make it more accessible so that you can live there longer, there are a number of grants available from the various provincial governments in Canada. Here is a listing by province of some of those grants. Please note that the following are all government programs that were current at the time of posting and are subject to change.

British Columbia

– Up to $1,000/tax year

British Columbia offers a Home Renovation Tax Credit for seniors. The following is a breakdown of how the grant works.

Canadian Government Grants for Seniors

 

Who Qualifies?

  • Residents of B.C. and
  • A Senior or family member living with a senior or
  • A person with a disability or family member living with a person with a disability (for 2016 and later tax years)

How Much Is The Grant?

  • Maximum amount of the credit – $1,000 per tax year
  • Calculated as 10% of the qualifying renovation expense – maximum $10,000 for the expense
  • It is a refundable tax credit

The Renovation Must:

  • Be to your principal residence
  • Improve access to the home or
  • Improve mobility and functions in the home or
  • Reduce the risk of harm in your home

Canadian Government Grants for Seniors

Examples Of Qualifying Renovations

  • Walk-in bathtubs
  • Wheel-in showers
  • Non-slip flooring
  • Handrails in corridors
  • Raised toilets
  • Pull-out shelves under counters

Tips

  • Claim this credit when you file your T1 income tax return.
  • Complete the British Columbia Home Renovation Tax Credit for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities form [Schedule BC(S12)] Enter the amount spent on renovations beside box 6048 on the British Columbia Credits form (BC479).
  • Remember to keep all of your receipts from suppliers and contractors to back up your claim.
  • You must also have receipts for labour and materials with a GST/HST number if the work was done by a family member.
  • The credit is to be claimed for the taxation year based on when you received the invoice. For example, if you receive an invoice at the end of a calendar year but pay it in the following calendar year the claim will apply for that previous year.

For more information, click here.

Need someone to install sliding shelves for you? Visit our partner site www.glidingshelf.ca

Alberta – Maximum Loan $40,000

In Alberta, seniors can take advantage of the Seniors Home Adaptation and Repair Program (SHARP).

Who Qualifies?

  • Residents of Alberta having lived in Alberta at least 3 months and
  • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident and
  • Aged 65 or older (one spouse needs to be 65 or older)
  • Registered owner of the home which is your permanent residence and
  • An annual total income of less than $75,000 and
  • minimum 25% in home equity

How Much Is The Loan?

  • Maximum amount of the loan- $40,000
  • No monthly payments required
  • Repay the loan, with interest of 2.70%, when you move, sell, or sooner if you wish

The Loan Is For:

  • Repairs
  • Adaptations
  • Renovations

Examples Of Qualifying Renovations

For more information, click here.

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan government offers the Saskatchewan Home Repair Program: Adaptation for Independence program. This program gives financial assistance to low-income households to make modifications to their home to accommodate the needs of members of the household who have a disability.

For more information call:
Toll-Free
1-800-667-7567
Business Line:
306-787-4177
Hours of Operation:
Mon – Fri 8 am – 5 pm.

If you reside in Saskatchewan, the government also has a Special Needs Equipment Program, which loans out equipment such as wheelchairs to people with disabilities.

Manitoba – Up to $1,000/tax year

Home Adaptations for Seniors is a program offered by the Manitoba government.

Who Qualifies?

  • Homeowners and landlords having a senior (65 or older) occupying the home as their permanent residence and
  • Total gross household income is below the Housing Limit Income for your area and
  • The senior has age/health related difficulties affecting daily life

How Much Is The Grant?

  • Maximum amount of the credit – $1,000 per tax year
  • Calculated as 10% of the qualifying renovation expense – maximum $10,000 for the expense
  • It is a refundable tax credit

The Renovation Must:

  • Be to your principal residence
  • Improve access to the home or
  • Improve mobility and functions in the home or
  • Reduce the risk of harm in your home

Examples Of Qualifying Renovations

  • Easy to reach storage areas in the kitchen
  • Bathtub seats
  • Handrails in corridors
  • Walk-in showers

For more information, click here

Ontario

If you are a resident of Ontario you may qualify for the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant (OSHPTG).

Who Qualifies?

You are able to apply for the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant for 2017 if the following conditions apply.

  • You were 64 years or older on December 31, 2016 and
  • You owned and occupied your house, condominium, mobile home, or life-lease home as your *principal residence and paid property tax on it for 2016.

*Principal residence refers to a housing unit that you usually occupy during the year.

Your grant will be based on the information that you submitted on your 2016 income tax return. It will usually arrive four to six weeks after your 2016 Notice of Assessment.

How Much Is The Grant?

Click on the calculator here to estimate the amount of your grant.

Tips

If you didn’t apply for the grant and you have already filed your return you can file an amendment by doing the following:

  • Once you have your Notice of Assessment, go to the how to change your return page on the CRA website.
  • Follow the instructions.
  • You can change your return online or by mail.
  • Online processing times are about 2 weeks
  • Mail processing times are about 8 weeks.

In Ontario, seniors may also qualify for the Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit.

If you are a senior 65 years or older in Ontario, you could qualify for a tax credit to help with the cost of making your home safer and more accessible.

For additional information about the Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit, call:

1-866-ONT-TAXS (668-8297) or
1-800-263-7776 for teletypewriter

Quebec

– Grants Between $4,000 – $16,000

The government of Quebec has a Residential Adaptation Program. This program provides financial help to anyone with a disability that limits their daily activities regardless of their income. The grant is to cover the cost of making their homes accessible.

How Much Is The Grant?

Depending on the type of household, the grant may vary between $4,000 and $16,000:

  • Owner household: grant of up to $16,000
  • Tenant household: grant of up to $8,000
  • Boarder household: grant of up to $4,000

How To Apply

  • Get a Program Registration form from the Societe d’habitation du Quebec or a local community services centre (CLSC) in your region.
  • Fill out the form and have the homeowner or landlord fill out their sections.
  • Gather all required documents and send the completed application to the Societe d’habitation du Quebec.
  • Your application will be sent to your municipality or regional county municipality (RCM) and to the health institution responsible for making an occupational therapist’s report.
  • A representative will visit your home and produce a list of admissible work that can be done.
  • You will need to get one or more bids from contractors and submit the winning one to the municipality or RCM.

Tips

  • In some cases, an additional amount of up to $7,000 may be given as determined by the Societe d’habitation du Quebec.
  • If specialized equipment is needed, an additional amount up to $10,000 may also be paid as determined by the Societe d’habitation du Quebec.
  • If you are a tenant you may apply, however, you will first need to get your landlord’s permission for the work to be done in your home.

New Brunswick – Loan Up To $5,000

Seniors who live in New Brunswick may be eligible for a forgivable loan for minor adaptations to their home to help with independent living under the Federal / Provincial Repair Program.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify you must:

  • Have an income below the established housing income limits for your area.
  • Must own your home and it must be your primary residence
  • Adaptations for seniors must facilitate and prolong independent living (ie. using the kitchen and getting around the hallways)

How Much Is The Forgivable Loan?

Up to a maximum of $5,000

For more information, click here.

Nova Scotia – Loan Up To $3,500

The Nova Scotia governments has a Home Adaptation for Seniors’ Independence program. Under this program, seniors may be eligible for a forgivable loan up to $3,500 for minor improvements to their homes to assist them with age-related issues. Some examples of repairs could include handrails, walk-in showers, or easy to reach storage areas in the kitchen.

For more information on this program, click here.

PEI

The Seniors Safe @ Home Program helps seniors finance improvements made to their homes to enable them to continue living in them longer.

For further details and eligibility requirements, click here.

Newfoundland & Labrador

– Grant Up to $7,500

A forgivable grant of up to $7,500 may be available to qualifying seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador through the Home Modification Program (HMP). This grant is to be used to promote independent living and better quality of life to seniors and those with disabilities.

For further details and eligibility requirements, click here.

Canadian Government Grants for

Seniors On-Reserve

-Loan Up to $10,000

Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence Program (HASI) On-Reserve helps First Nations and First Nation members live in their homes on-reserve longer by helping with the cost of minor home adaptations.

Who Qualifies?

First Nations and First Nation members who are living on-reserve may qualify if:

  • You are 65 years of age or older
  • You have challenges performing daily living activities as a result of aging
  • You have a total household income below a specified limit
  • It is your permanent residence

How Much Is The Loan?

It is a forgivable loan of up to $10,000 which does not have to be repaid as long as you continue to live in the home for 6 months following the completion of the adaptations. The amount may be increased by 25% for northern or remote areas.

Examples of Qualifying Adaptations

For more information contact your Canadian Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) consultant or your local CMHC office. You can also call CMHC toll free at 1-800-668-2642.

Tips

  • All adaptations need to be permanently fixed to the dwelling.
  • Your application needs to be approved before the adaptations are made in order to qualify for the loan.

DIY shelfworks product banner

DIY Shelfworks

– Makes Your Home Accessible

If you are having challenges accessing things in the cupboards of your home, contact DIY Shelfworks. Our easy to use and easy to install pull-out shelves will make getting things in your cupboard a breeze, even from a seated position. Place your order today and see how simple it is to reach every item in your kitchen cabinets.

Additional Source:

Senior/mobility renovation grants and loans across the country