6 Provinces That Are Paying Canadians Up To $500 To Help With Rising Living Costs
More affordability payments coming in! Another province in Canada has confirmed it will give eligible residents a one-off payment to help combat the rising cost of living in Canada – and it’s not the first to offer this type of assistance.
On Jan. 26, the Manitoba government announced the Carbon Tax Relief Fund to help 700,000 people afford “rising winter costs, from food to fuel.”
The money goes to “all Manitobans” who fall within the eligible income bracket, including seniors, singles and couples with or without children.
While the eligibility criteria and amount offered differ slightly from existing affordability payments in other parts of Canada — including those in Alberta and BC — Manitoba’s Carbon Tax Relief Fund is Manitoba’s latest one-time payment designed to help offset rising costs.
Manitoba
After announcing its new bailout just last week, Manitoba has become the latest province in Canada to offer residents anti-inflation money.
Exactly how much Manitobans can receive through the new Carbon Tax Relief Fund varies, with eligible singles receiving $225 and couples receiving $375.
To be eligible for the money, applicants must have been living in Manitoba as of December 31, 2021 and had a net family income of less than $175,000 for that year.
“Last fall, we pledged to continue to help Manitobans when help is needed,” Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said in a statement.
“With the cost shock Manitobans are facing this winter from the state carbon tax and other related hikes, we believe Manitobans need our support again now.”
Stefanson added that the new Carbon Tax Relief Fund will “help almost every Manitoban who needs to drive to work, take their kids to activities, or go grocery shopping.”
There will be no specific rules as to what the payments can be spent on, with Stefanson noting that every family’s circumstances will be different and so each individual will “know how best to spend that money.”
Manitoba isn’t the first province to offer residents a payment to help them battle rising costs.
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Newfoundland and Labrador
In October 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador announced that eligible residents who filed a tax return for the prior year and had adjusted income of less than $100,000 would receive a one-time check for $500.
Those who earned between $100,000 and $125,000 also received a payment of between $250 and $500.
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Saskatchewan
Similarly, Saskatchewan introduced the Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit — a one-time payment of $500 for all residents age 18 and older who filed a 2021 income tax return.
The payments were independent of income, the distribution began in autumn 2022.
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alberta
Alberta residents were also offered assistance from the provincial government towards the end of 2022.
$600 of affordability payments were made to eligible seniors, families with children under the age of 18, and individuals in core assistance programs.
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B.C
BC residents have also been able to access additional living expense support from the provincial government in recent months.
The BC Affordability Credit gave 85% of British Columbia residents up to $164 per adult and $41 per child in January to help cover food and fuel costs.
Also on January 20, 2023, the first of three enhanced BC Family Benefit payments landed in eligible bank accounts to “take some pressure off the family budget.”
Eligible families may receive up to $350 in addition to the usual benefit amount from January through March.
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