Canadian Seniors Benefits - Apply for It or Lose It

It is surprising that some Canadian seniors and pre-seniors have not yet applied for Old Age Pension (OAS) benefits, do not know they might be eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), or that they now qualify for the Allowance or the Allowance for Survivors.

You need to know about these programs and when to apply for these programs. If you don't do this you will not receive the benefits to which you are entitled.

Low-income Canadians 55 to 70 have available to them an excellent selection of old age security benefits, retirement programs and senior services from the federal and provincial governments. The information on these benefit programs is scattered across the internet requiring too much research for these low income people, many of whom do not own computers or know how to use them.

Low-income Canadians are not often residing in first-class retirement centers or retirement communities. They are often living in low rent apartments, seniors apartments and rent-assisted apartments. Too often there is no easy access to all the information they need to ensure they are receiving all the benefits to which they are entitled given their circumstances. And, for these seniors what options might work best for them. For instance, should they stay in their existing home or apartment and apply for "SAFER (Shelter Assistance for Elderly Renters)" or should they find a great rent-assisted apartment in a new neighborhood?

Even when much information can be found on the web, those who know how to search the Web and can locate federal government programs and services and provincial government programs and services, they may miss those programs that are part of both governments' benefits or are provided by outside agencies such as provincial auto plan programs.

Additionally, there are programs and services that low income seniors could enjoy but are hard to find on the otherwise excellent federal senior websites and provincial senior websites. These programs include (but are not limited to): discounts on auto insurance, disability discounts on auto insurance before the age of 65, low cost drivers license fees, where and how to order veteran’s license plates, and the benefits of ordering an enhanced driver’s license rather than renewing a Canadian passport.

If a low income senior is also disabled they need to know the differences in the federal disability program and the provincial disability program. These programs are different enough to make one of the programs more worthwhile than the other. Plus, when receiving financial disability benefits where do they go to find out what other benefits come with this “package”, such as: eye exams and cataract treatments, dentistry and denture services.

How could they possibly know that to get a 25% discount on their auto insurance (provincially run through Autoplan) before age 65, they must apply for the (federal) fuel sales tax recovery program! Even many auto insurance brokers do not know how to assist a low income pre-senior with a disability, register for this discount.

The purpose of this series of articles is to provide a clear, easy-to-follow guide to all the services, programs and benefits available to low-income seniors in Canada, and to provide this information in one place. All Canadian seniors need to know what these services are, if they are eligible, how to apply for them, and when to apply for them.

Issue 1: Canadian Benefits from a Low-income Senior's Perspective

"Old Age Security", "Guaranteed Income Supplement", "Allowance", and "Allowance for the Survivor". You must know what these benefits are, if you are eligible for them, how to apply, and when to apply for them.