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

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.