6 Provinces That Are Paying Canadians Up To $500 To Help With Rising Living Costs
Another province has just confirmed one-time payments for eligible residents!💰
Canadian dollars.
More affordability payments are incoming! Another province in Canada has confirmed it will give eligible residents a one-time payment to help combat the rising cost of living in Canada – and it's not the first to offer this type of support.
On January 26, the government of Manitoba announced the Carbon Tax Relief Fund, which it says will help 700,000 people afford "rising winter costs, from food to fuel."
The money will go out to "all Manitobans" who fall within the eligible income bracket, including seniors, single people and couples with, or without, children.
While the eligibility criteria and amount on offer is slightly different from existing affordability payments in other parts of Canada – including those in Alberta and B.C. – Manitoba's Carbon Tax Relief Fund is the latest one-time payment that has been designed to help offset rising costs.
Manitoba
Having announced its new support payments just last week, Manitoba is the latest province in Canada to offer money to residents to help combat inflation.
Exactly how much Manitobans can get via the new Carbon Tax Relief Fund varies, with eligible single people able to receive $225, and couples able to receive $375 between them.
To be eligible for the money, claimants must have lived in Manitoba on December 31, 2021, and have had a family net income that year of less than $175,000.
“Last fall, we pledged to continue to help Manitobans as help was needed,” Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said in a statement.
"Given the cost shock Manitobans are facing this winter from the federal carbon tax and other related increases, we believe Manitobans need our support again now.”
Stefanson added that the new Carbon Tax Relief Fund will provide support to "almost every Manitoban who has to drive to work, take their kids to activities or go out to buy groceries."
There will be no specific rules when it comes to what the payments can be spent on, with Stefanson noting that each family's circumstances will be different and therefore each individual will "know how to best spend this money."
Manitoba isn't the first province to offer a payment to residents to help them combat rising costs.
Newfoundland and Labrador
In October 2022, Newfoundland and Labrador announced that a one-time cheque of $500 would be given to eligible residents who filed a tax return for the previous year and had an adjusted income of under $100,000.
Those who earned between $100,000 and $125,000 also received a payment between $250 and $500.
Find out more
Saskatchewan
Similarly, Saskatchewan introduced the Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit – a one-time payment of $500 for all residents aged 18 and over who filed an income tax return for 2021.
The payments were not dependent on an individual's income, and distribution began in the fall of 2022.
Find out more
Alberta
Residents of Alberta were also offered provincial government support towards the end of 2022.
Affordability payments of $600 were dished out to eligible seniors, families with children under 18 and individuals on core support programs.
Find out more
B.C.
Residents of B.C. have also been able to access additional cost-of-living support from the provincial government over the last few months.
The B.C. Affordability Credit gave 85% of British Columbians up to $164 per adult and $41 per child in January to help cover the cost of things like food and fuel.
On January 20, 2023, the first of three enhanced B.C. Family Benefit payments also landed in eligible bank accounts to "take a bit of pressure off the family budget."
Qualifying families are able to receive up to $350 extra from January to March, in addition to the usual benefit amount.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.