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 $7,437 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 $3,173 per child each year
- Canada Workers Benefit up to $2,461 for the parent each year
- Canada Workers Benefit Disability supplement up to $737 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 $992 per family with two children
- plus $171 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 $1,428 for the worker each year
- Canada Workers Benefit Disability credit up to $737 for the worker each year
- Federal GST/HST Credit of up to $496 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 2024
|
LOCATION |
DATE |
TIMES |
Clinic Details |
|
Murphy’s Community Centre, Room 207- 200 Richmond St. Charlottetown, PE |
Mondays - March 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th & April 8th, 15th 22nd & 29th
Tuesdays - March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th & April 2nd 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th
No Clinic on Easter Monday
|
Monday 9am - 12pm, 1pm -4pm, 6pm-9pm
Tuesday 9am - 12pm, 1pm -4pm |
By Appointment (In-person Clinic)
Call for appointment 902-566-9602 |
|
Charlottetown Library Learning Centre 97 Queen St. Charlottetown, PE |
March 7th - April 27th |
Thursday 6:30pm - 8pm Saturday 1pm - 4pm |
Thursday Drop-off only Saturday Walk-in & Drop-off For info call or email 902-894-1126 |
|
Cornwall Public Library 15 Mercedes Dr. Cornwall, PE |
March 5th - April 25th |
Tuesday & Wednesday 1pm - 8:30pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday 9:30am - 5:30pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-629-8415 |
|
Morell Public Library Morell, PE |
March 6th - April 27th
|
Wednesday 10am - 2pm Thursday 3pm - 6pm Saturday 10am - 3pm
|
Drop-off only
|
|
Mount Stewart Public Library 104 Main Street Mount Stewart, PE |
March 6th - April 25th |
Tuesday & Thursday 10:00am - 2:30m Wednesday 3:00pm - 6:00pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-676-2050 |
|
Hunter River Memorial Library 19816 Route 2, Hunter River, PE |
March 5th - April 27st |
Tuesday 4pm - 8pm Wednesday 2pm - 5pm Friday & Saturday 9am - 2pm
|
Drop-off only For info call 902-964-2800 |
|
Kinkora Public Library 45 Anderson Rd. Kinkora, PE |
March 5th - April 26th |
Tuesday 11am - 4pm Wednesday 4pm - 7pm Friday 9am - 1pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-887-2172 |
|
Montague, PE |
March 4st - April 27th |
Monday, Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday & Thursday 10am - 8pm |
Drop-off only For info call or email |
|
O’Leary Public Library O’Leary, PE |
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 4pm - 8pm Friday 12pm - 4pm Saturday 10am - 2pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-859-8788 |
|
St. Peter’s Public Library 1968 Cardigan Rd. St. Peters, PE |
March 7th - April 25th
|
Tuesday & Thursday 10am -1:30pm Wednesday 1pm-6pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-961-3415 |
|
121 East Dr. Summerside, PE
|
March 7th - April 25th |
Thursday 9am - 4pm
|
By appointment (In-person clinic) Call for appointment 1-855-888-6837 |
|
Tignish Public Library 103 School St. Tignish, PE
|
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday 11am - 5pm Thursday 2pm - 8pm Saturday 10am - 1pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-882-7363 |
|
Alberton Public Library 11 Railway St. Alberton, PE
|
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday 3pm - 8pm Wednesday & Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 2pm
|
Drop-off only For info call 902-231-2090 |
|
Stratford Public Library 25 Hopeton Rd. Stratford, PE |
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday & Wednesday 9:30am - 8:30pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday 9:30am - 5:30pm
|
Drop-off only For info call 902-569-7441 |
|
Souris Volunteer Tax Clinic 75 Main St. Souris PE |
March 6th - April 24th |
Wednesday 9am-2pm |
Drop-off, Walk -in & By appointment For info call or email 902-215-0620 |
|
John Howard Society 206-155 Queen St. Charlottetown PE |
February 28th - April 30th |
Monday to Friday 9am - 12pm |
By appointment, Drop-off & Walk-in For info call or email 902-566-5425 |
|
Summerside Rotary Library 57 Central St. Summerside PE |
March 4th - April 28th |
Monday 12pm - 8pm Tuesday 10am - 9pm Wednesday & Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday & Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm
|
Drop-off during Library open hours For info call 902-436-7323 |
|
Borden-Carleton Public Library Bordon-Carlton, PE |
March 6th - April 27th |
Monday 10am -2pm Wednesday 4pm -8pm Saturday 9am -1pm |
Drop-off only For info call 902-437-6492 |
|
Kensington Heritage Library 6 Commercial St. Kensington PE |
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday, Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 8pm
|
Drop-off only For info call 902-836-3721 |
|
Bibliothèque Publique Dr. J Edmond Arsenault 5 Acadian Dr. Charlottetown PE |
March 5th - April 27th |
Tuesday 8:30 am - 3:30pm Thursday 12pm - 8pm Saturday 9am - 1pm |
Drop-off/Virtual For info call 902-368-6092 |
|
IRSA Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI Carriage House 2 Kent St. Charlottetown PE |
March 9th - April 28th |
Saturday 1pm - 5pm Sunday 5pm - 10pm Monday 9am - 1pm |
Walk-in By Appointment For info call or email (902) 628-6009 |
|
Georgetown Genevieve Soloman Memorial Library 47 Kent Street Georgetown PE |
March 5th – April 26th |
Tuesday 3:00pm-7:00pm Wednesday 9:00am – 1:00pm Thursday & Friday 9:00am – 1:00pm |
Drop off For info call or email:
|
Super Clinics on PEI - 2024
|
LOCATION |
DATE |
TIMES |
Clinic Details |
|
Montague Super Clinic Cavendish Wellness Centre 21 Sullivan Drive Montague PE
|
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 |
3pm - 7pm |
Walk -in
Other service providers present offering information and services: Canada Revenue Agency Service Canada Office of Net Zero, along with efficiency PEI PEI Seniors Navigator Employment & Social Development Canada
|
|
Charlottetown Super Clinic Murphy’s Community Centre Room 200 Richmond St. Charlottetown, PE |
Monday, March 18, 2024 |
9am - 4pm |
By appointment 902-566-9602
Other service providers present offering information and services: Canada Revenue Agency Service Canada Office of Net Zero, along with efficiency PEI PEI Seniors Navigator Employment & Social Development Canada |
|
Summerside Super Clinic St. Eleanors Lions Club 121 East Dr. Summerside, PE |
Thursday, March 28, 2024 |
9am - 3pm |
By appointment 855-888-6837
Other service providers present offering information and services: Canada Revenue Agency Service Canada Office of Net Zero, along with efficiency PEI PEI Seniors Navigator Employment & Social Development Canada |
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 costs for eligible generic prescription drugs to a maximum of $19.95.
- Net Zero Free Heat Pump Program provides a free heat pump and installation services to eligible Islanders.
- PEI Home Renovation Programs provides financial assistance to eligible Islanders to help cover the cost of major structural renovations to their homes.
- Seniors Hearing Aid Rebate Program covers cost-effective hearing aids that meet the eligible applicant’s basic hearing needs.
Seniors Independence Initiative
Eligible seniors can get help with services like light housekeeping, meal preparation, grass-cutting or snow removal.
Provincial Children’s Benefit
The upcoming PEI Children’s Benefit is set to launch January 2025. This benefit will support low to medium income families, helping to offset the costs of raising children. This Benefit will be in addition to the Canada Child Benefit.