Be Aware, Get Your Share

Federal and Provincial Benefits for Residents


Are you living on a low or modest income or getting social assistance?

Are you aware that if you file your taxes each year you can get your share from government programs?

Families with children

Filing your income tax return is the key to receiving benefits that may give you up to $13,000 in extra money. Your spouse or common-law partner must also file an income return. Here are examples of the extra money that may be available to you as a parent each year:

  • Canada Child Benefit up to $6,997 per child each year
  • Canada Learning Bond of up to $2,000 ($500 initial bond, $100 per year up to age 15) per child born on, or after, January 1, 2004
  • Child Disability Benefit up to $2,985 per child each year
  • Canada Workers Benefit up to $2,403 for the parent each year
  • Canada Workers Benefit Disability supplement up to $720 for the parent each year

If you file your taxes, and you are eligible for these programs, you may receive payments for each of these programs. But, you will not get this money if you do not file your taxes and continue to apply for the Canada Child Benefit.

Even more money may be available if you have more than one child. For example:

Federal GST/HST Credit

  • up to $934 per family with two children
  • plus $161 for each additional child

PEI Sales Tax Credit

  • up to $220 per family each year

For more information, go to www.cra-arc.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-1193.

Caregivers

If you support a spouse or common-law partner, or a dependant with a physical or mental impairment, the new Canada caregiver tax credit may be available to you.

For more information, visit www.canada.ca.

Single people without children

You may be eligible for up to $3,000 in extra money, including:

  • Canada Workers Benefit up to $1,395 for the worker each year
  • Canada Workers Benefit Disability credit up to $720 for the worker each year
  • Federal GST/HST Credit of up to $467 per year
  • PEI Sales Tax Credit of up to $165 per year

Even if you didn’t file your taxes in years past,  you may receive benefits for eligible years you missed, as long as you file your taxes for those past years.

Seniors

The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) provides a monthly non-taxable benefit to seniors receiving Old Age Security who have a low income and are living in Canada.

Once you have made an initial GIS application, your income tax information from your federal Income Tax and Benefit Return will be used to renew your eligibility for the GIS or other income tested benefits in the following years.

Get the GIS application online at www.servicecanada.gc.ca (then search GIS) or visit a local Service Canada location. To see the most up-to-date benefit amounts for Old age Security and GIS visit this link ​ or call 1-800-277-9914 for information.

These benefits are in addition to federal GST/HST and PEI Sales Tax Credits.

Post-Secondary Students

Low and middle income students can apply for needs-based support in addition to bursaries.

Recent Post-Secondary Graduates

If you graduated from a post-secondary program before the 2018-19 academic year with more than $6,000 in student loans per annum, you may be eligible for a debt reduction grant to help reduce your provincial student loan balance.

Need a hand to complete your income tax return?

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, a collaboration between community organization-volunteers and the Canada Revenue Agency, may be able to do your taxes for free. This free tax-help program is available to eligible taxpayers who have modest income and simple tax situations.

To see if you qualify for assistance and for details on tax-help clinics call 1-855-516-4405 or visit Canada.ca/taxes-help.

Locations for Free Tax Clinics in 2023

LOCATION

DATE

TIMES

APPOINTMENTS

Murphy's Community Centre 

Room 207 - 200 Richmond St.

Charlottetown, PE

 

 

Mondays - March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th and April 3rd, 17th, 24th.
 

Tuesdays - March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and April 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th.

No clinic on Easter Monday. 

 

Monday's 9:00am - 12:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Tuesday's 9:00am - 12:00pm, 1:00pm - 4:00pm

By appointment (in person clinic).

Call for appointment
902-566-9602. 

Charlottetown Library Learning Centre

97 Queen St.

Charlottetown, PE

March 4th - April 29th   

Thursday's  6:00pm - 8:00pm
Drop off only

Saturday's 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Walk in and drop off

For info call 902-368-4642. 

Cornwall Public Library

15 Mercedes Dr.,

Cornwall, PE

March 7th to April 25th 

Tuesday and Wednesday 1:00pm - 8:30pm
Thursday, Friday and Saturday

9:00am - 12:30pm and 1:00pm - 5:30pm

Drop-off only.

For info call 902-629-8415.

Morell Public Library

89 Red Head Rd.

Morell, PE

March 7th to April 29th

Tuesday and Thursday  3:00pm - 6:00pm

Wednesday 10:00am – 2:00pm

Saturday 10:00am – 3:00pm

Drop-off only.

For info call 902-961-3389.

Hunter River Memorial Library

19816 Route 2,

Hunter River, PE

March 7th to April 25th

Tuesday 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Wednesday 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Friday and Saturday 9:00am - 2:00pm

Drop-off only.

For info call 902-964-2800.

Kinkora Public Library

45 Anderson Rd.

Kinkora, PE

March 7th - April 28th 

Tuesday 11:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Friday 9:00am - 1:00pm 

Drop-off only.

For info call 902-887-2172.

Montague Rotary Library

53 Wood Islands Rd.

Montague, PE

March 1st - April 29th 

Monday, Friday and Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm
Tuesday 10:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday and 
Thursday 10:00am - 8:00pm 

Drop-off only.
For info call 902-838-2928.
montague@gov.pe.ca 

 

O’Leary Public Library

18 Community St.

O’Leary, PE

March 6th - April 29th 

Tuesday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Thursday 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Friday 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm

Drop-off only

For info call 902-859-8788.

St Peters Public Library

1968 Cardigan Road

St. Peters, PE

March 7th - April 27th

Tuesday and Thursday 10:00am – 1:30pm
Wednesday 1:00pm – 6:00pm

Drop off only

For info call 902-961-3415

St Eleanor's Lions Club

121 East Drive

Summerside, PE

March 9th - April 27th

Thursday's 9:00am - 4:00pm

 

By appointment
(in person clinic)

call 1-855-888-6837

Tignish Public Library

103 School St.

Tignish, PE

March 7th - April 29th

Tuesday 11:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday 2:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday 10 :00am– 1:00pm

Drop-off only

For info call 902-882-7363

Alberton Public Library

11 Railway St.

Alberton, PE

March 7th - April 29th

Tuesday  3:00pm – 8:00pm
Wednesday and Friday  10:00am – 4:00pm
 Saturday 10:00am – 2:00pm

Drop-off only

For info call 902-231-2090

Stratford Public Library

25 Hopeton Rd.

Stratford, PE

March 7th - April 29th 

Tuesday and Wednesday 9:30am – 8:30pm
 Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9:30am – 5:30pm

Drop-off only

For info call 902-569-7441

Souris Town Hall

75 Main Street.

Souris, PE

 

March 1st - April 26th   Wednesday's 9:00am - 2:00pm

Drop-off and walk in
For info call or email
902-215-0620
vchaiss@hotmail.com

John Howard Society

205-155 Queen St.

Charlottetown, PE

 

February 27th - December 29th Monday to Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm

By appointment, drop-off and walk in
For info call 902-566-5425
johnhowardsociety@pei.aibn.com

 

Summerside Public Library

57 Central Street

Summerside, PE

 

 

March 6th - April 30th  Walk in clinic
Tuesday 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Drop off clinics:
Monday 12:00pm -8:00pm

Tuesday 10:00am -9:00pm

Wednesday and Thursday 10:00am-6:00pm

Friday and Saturday 10:00am- 5:00pm

Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Walk in only on Tuesday's
Drop of during library open hours

For info call 902-436-7323

Borden-Carleton Public Library

244 Borden Avenue

 Borden-Carleton, PE

March 8th - April 30th 

Monday 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wednesday 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm

 

Drop off only

For info call 902-437-6492

Kensington Heritage Library

6 Commercial Street

Kensington, PE

 

 

March 7th - April 29th  Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10:00am -4:00pm Wednesday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday 10:00am - 8:00pm

Drop off only.

For info call 902-836-3721

Other Programs

Some provincial programs require proof of income to be eligible. The only proof that the Government of PEI accepts is the notice of assessment which the Canada Revenue Agency sends after you file an income tax return.

Families can get help from programs like these:

  • Dental Public Health provides services to children ages 3-17 who are not covered by private dental insurance.
  • Family Health Benefit Drug Program helps low income families cover the cost of approved prescription medications.
  • Generic Drug Program is for those under age 65 who do not have insurance to limit cost for eligible generic prescription drugs to a maximum of $19.95.

Seniors can get help from the Seniors Independence Initiative for services like light housekeeping, meal preparation, grass-cutting or snow removal.

 

Published date: 
February 24, 2023
Social Development and Housing

General Inquiries

Department of Social Development and Housing
2nd Floor, Jones Building
11 Kent Street
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

Phone: 902-620-3777
Toll-free: 1-866-594-3777
Fax: 902-368-4740

DeptSDH@gov.pe.ca