Ontario Helping Low-Income Seniors
March 24, 2023
Government investing in the proposed expansion of the GAINS program
KENORA – RAINY RIVER — Today, MPP Greg Rickford announced that Ontario is supporting low-income seniors by proposing to expand the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) program to about 100,0000 more seniors and indexing the program annually to inflation.
Announced as part of the 2023 Budget: Building a Strong Ontario, the proposed expanded GAINS program would begin in July 2024.
“Our government is working for the Ontario seniors who have built this province so they can live comfortably and with dignity,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “By expanding and annually indexing the GAINS program, we are providing financial support to more vulnerable low-income seniors and ensuring that when their costs rise due to inflation, our support also increases.”
The provincial governmentis also investing close to $1 million over three years to expand the Seniors Safety Line. This province wide resource is available 24/7 to help seniors who are experiencing or at risk of elder abuse, by connecting them with trained counsellors who can support and assist them.
“Ontario’s seniors helped make our province the prosperous place that it is today, and they deserve proper care and enhanced financial security,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora – Rainy River. “This is why our government is expanding the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) program to ensure steady and reliable income supports to nearly 100,000 seniors.”
In addition to providing support for seniors, the government’s plan is taking significant actions to Build Ontario by driving economic growth, attracting new jobs and investments, and getting key infrastructure projects built faster. By working for workers, keeping costs down, and providing better services, the government is building a strong Ontario that is working for seniors, families, and businesses.
Quick Facts
- As of January 2023, the Ontario government doubled the GAINS payment for all recipients for 12 months. This measure will increase the maximum GAINS payment to $166 per month for single seniors, and to $332 per month for couples – a maximum increase of almost $1,000 per person in 2023.
- You must file a tax return each year to be eligible for the GAINS program, even if you do not have income to report.
- Monthly GAINS payments are issued on or about the 25th day of the month.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Tax credits for seniors
Programs and services to support Ontario’s seniors