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HOMELESSCANADA

Money, benefits & ID

Income assistance, filing taxes for free, opening a bank account, and getting your ID back in the right order.

Income

Money and benefits

A lot of money meant for people in poverty goes unclaimed simply because nobody told them about it, or because they never filed taxes. These steps can put real money in your pocket.

1. Apply for income assistance

Every province and territory has income assistance for people with little or no income. You can apply without a fixed address. Apply at your local income assistance office, online, or with help from a shelter or drop-in worker. In many places you can get emergency funds or a crisis grant quickly if you have no money at all. If you have a disability, also apply for the disability program (see Disability).

Income assistance also usually includes health benefits (prescriptions, dental, eye care, medical supplies) that can matter as much as the money.

2. File your taxes, even with no income

This is one of the most important things you can do. Filing a tax return, even if you earned nothing, is what makes you eligible for:

  • The GST/HST credit, paid every three months.
  • The Canada Disability Benefit, if you have the Disability Tax Credit.
  • The Canada Workers Benefit, if you do some work.
  • The Canadian Dental Care Plan.
  • Provincial credits and benefits.
  • For parents, the Canada Child Benefit.

You can file for past years too and get back payments. Free tax clinics run all year across Canada through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, and many are held at drop-ins, libraries and community centres. They'll file for you for free if your income is low. Search "free tax clinic" on canada.ca or ask 211. You can also call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281.

3. Open a bank account

In Canada, banks must open a personal account for you even if you have no job, no money to deposit, or a past bankruptcy, as long as you can show acceptable ID. Having an account means benefits can be deposited directly, so there are no cheques to lose and no cheque-cashing fees. Ask for a low-cost or no-cost account. Most banks offer one.

4. Watch out for

  • Payday loans and cheque-cashing stores. Very high fees that trap people.
  • People "holding" your bank card or benefits. If someone controls your money, you can ask the income assistance office to change how you're paid, or ask for a trustee.
  • Scams. The government will never ask you to pay a fee to get a benefit.

Work, if and when you're ready

Many cities have social enterprises and low-barrier work programs that pay same-day or weekly, with flexible hours built for people who are homeless, in recovery or living with a disability. Income assistance and disability programs usually let you earn some money without losing your benefits. Ask your worker how much.

Paperwork

Getting your ID back

Without ID it's hard to get income, a bank account, housing or even some shelter beds. Getting it back can feel impossible because each card seems to need another card first. The trick is to go in the right order, and to get help.

Get help with this

Many cities have ID clinics or ID banks, programs that help people who are homeless replace ID, pay the fees, and store copies safely so they're never lost again. Ask 211, a drop-in, a legal clinic or a shelter worker. Fees can often be waived or covered by income assistance.

The usual order

  1. Birth certificate, if you were born in Canada, from the vital statistics office in the province or territory where you were born, even if you live somewhere else now. If you were born outside Canada, the equivalent is your citizenship certificate or immigration document from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
  2. Social Insurance Number (SIN). Your number never changes; you may only need to confirm it. Service Canada can give you a SIN confirmation letter for free. You need your SIN for work, taxes and benefits.
  3. Provincial health card, from your provincial health insurance office.
  4. Provincial photo ID card (a non-driver's ID card), from your provincial registry or service office. This is the most useful everyday photo ID.
  5. Status card, if you're a registered First Nations person, from Indigenous Services Canada. Many friendship centres and band offices can help.

Protect your ID once you have it

  • Photograph every card and document, front and back, and email the photos to yourself.
  • Ask if a drop-in, ID bank or your caseworker will store your originals or copies.
  • Carry only what you need day to day.
  • If your ID is stolen, report it to police and get a report number. Some offices require one to replace ID for free.