The Aging City
The Aging City
Service Journalism
by Rebecca Gao
Aging in Toronto is expensive. And while there are government supports for older Torontonians, finding them can be hard.
Last Updated: February 2, 2024
The City of Toronto is home to nearly 477,000 people over the age of 65. Older adults make up more than 17 percent of the city’s population, and the number is on the rise: by 2041, it’s expected that people over 65 will make up 21.2 percent of the city.
Like so many of Toronto’s residents, older adults are dealing with unaffordability, problems with moving around the city, inaccessible health care, and a lack of public spaces to socialize and stay fit. According to a 2020 Social Planning Toronto report, Toronto has one of the highest rates of senior poverty among large urban centres in the country, with 17.4 percent of seniors living in low-income households, compared to 12 percent of seniors in Ontario and 14.5 percent across Canada.
And while many aging Torontonians have access to some level of government support and funding, accessing those resources can be difficult. The main barrier is that those services are underfunded and underdeveloped, says John Bagnall, a board member of advocacy group Care Watch Ontario. “The province has, in recent years, decided to put forth more money, but it’s still far short of what is needed,” he says. And often benefits and services are funded for a finite amount of time, so by the time those in need find out about a service, it might not exist anymore.
But lack of funding isn’t the only problem. Often older adults simply don’t have the information they need to access the services they’re eligible for. Because applying for government assistance requires a lot of bureaucracy—forms, gathering information, making sure you have valid ID—they sometimes get frustrated and give up, he says.
Racialized seniors, newcomers or seniors from lower-income communities are more likely to miss out, largely because information about programs is hard to find, especially if there’s a language barrier.
And even if language isn’t a barrier to applying, finding information can be a challenge. Not having access to a computer and internet can mean that even the most tech-literate seniors can’t find information about services—and information is often scattered around the internet, making it difficult to navigate and find.
On top of that, information about services is often unclear. For example, Bagnall says many people will try to apply for a one-bedroom when looking at assisted housing options—not understanding that bachelor units have much shorter wait times. “That information would influence their decision making,” Bagnall says. Without counsellors or social workers to help, seniors are left in the dark about what options they have and how to access them.
Here is The Local’s best attempt at creating a comprehensive list of seniors benefits, tax credits, and programs.
Senior Benefits
Adult Day Programs
Adult Day Programs give seniors in Toronto the chance to participate in social programming and connect with their peers.
Eligibility criteria: Prior to attending for the first time, applicants need to be an Ontario resident, have their needs assessed and determined to fit the program, a valid OHIP number, able to take medicine without assistance and bear their own weight, and require no more than one person’s help when transferring. Applicants should not be exhibiting high-risk behaviours, require heavy physical care, or have severe cognitive impairments. If they smoke, they should be able to do so independently.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Funeral Expenses
Coverage for basic funeral expenses may be provided on behalf of deceased Toronto residents who do not have enough money in their estate to cover these costs. Covered expenses can include funeral services, burial services and cremation services.
Eligibility criteria: This benefit is available for those who pass away while on ODSP or Ontario Works, and deceased Torontonians whose estates don’t have enough money to cover their funeral expenses. The person making the funeral arrangements must be the one who applies.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is a monthly payment that is provided to those on Old Age Security (OAS) who are deemed low income. Partners of those who receive GIS can also receive an Allowance benefit.
Eligibility criteria: Eligibility for GIS is the same as the OAS. Applicants may also be eligible if they make less than $21,456 as a single, widowed or divorced applicant, $28,320 if their partner receives the full amount of OAS, $51,408 if their partner does not receive OAS, or $39,648 if their partner receives the Allowance.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Hardship Fund
The City of Toronto’s Hardship Fund is available to pay for certain medically based items and services, such as eyeglasses, emergency dental work, medication, medical items (walkers, hearing aids, hospital beds and more) or funeral expenses.
To apply for the Hardship Fund, call 416-338-8888. You will need to provide information about your financial situation and have details and a cost estimate for the medically based item or service you need.
Eligibility criteria: To apply, you must be a low-income Toronto resident who is not already receiving other assistance like Ontario Works or ODSP.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Home Accessibility Tax Credit
Also known as line 31285 on your federal tax forms, this tax credit allows qualifying individuals to claim renovations made to a dwelling that makes it more accessible—up to $3,000. You can only apply for one dwelling at a time, and the claimed expenses can’t be more than $20,000. You can claim expenses like building materials, fixtures, equipment rentals, building plans, permits, and work done by a professional. The renovations must also be permanent.
Eligibility criteria: To qualify, applicants need to be either at least 65 years old or already eligible for a disability tax credit. You can also be eligible if you are the spouse, common-law partner, or family member of someone who qualifies.
Application deadline: You can apply for this tax credit when you file your taxes. Make sure to keep supporting documentation like invoices and receipts.
Homemakers and Nurses Services
The City offers a Homemakers and Nurses Services program for low-income seniors. Services include light housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping and meal preparation. Services are provided by a community agency.
Eligibility criteria: While anyone older than 18 can apply, priority is given to seniors. To apply, you must be unable to perform household activities, have limited income and liquid assets, have stable physical and mental health, be compliant with a care plan, live in a “self-contained unit” (excluding rooming houses, shelters, transitional housing, retirement homes, etc), be able to direct the services of the homemaker and manage the service schedule. You must also live in a home that does not pose a risk to the service provider and be unable to access homemaking assistance through other means. Get more information by emailing ltc-comm@toronto.ca or calling 416-392-8579. There is currently a wait list for services.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Old Age Security
Old Age Security (OAS) is a pension that’s paid out monthly to people who are 65 and over.
Eligibility criteria: To qualify for OAS, you must be 65 or older, have been a Canadian citizen or resident at the time that your OAS application was approved, and you must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years since the age of 18. There are some other criteria for OAS for Canadians who live outside of the country. Service Canada should automatically enroll you.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
OHIP Covered Eye Exams
OHIP covers one major eye exam (for vision and general eye health) every 18 months for seniors, or every 12 months if you have an eligible medical condition like macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetes.
Eligibility criteria: Bringing an Ontario health card and Statement of Assistance will help to ensure the cost of an eye exam is covered when visiting an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis
Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System
This program provides monthly, non-taxable payments to low-income seniors in the province, depending on your income and marital status. These payments are on top of OAS and GIS.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must be at least 65 years old, have lived in Ontario for the last 12 months or for a total of 20 years since the age of 18, have been a Canadian resident for over 10 years, receive OAS and GIS, and have an annual private income of $1,992 or less as a single person or $3,984 as a couple.
Application deadline: Apply when taxes are filed. They must be filed before April 30.
Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit
This is a tax credit that supports low- to moderate-income seniors with medical expenses—including ones that help support aging at home like hospital beds and attendant care. It covers up to 25 percent of claimable medical expenses up to $6,000. The amount covered is reduced by 5 percent for families with a net income over $35,000.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must be Ontario residents who are 70 or older, or have a partner who is 70 or older by the end of the tax year, and have a family net income lower than $65,000. Eligible expenses include attendant care, care from a medical practitioner, dental, vision, hearing, walking aids (like walkers and canes), wheelchairs and electric scooters, washroom aids (like grips and rails), diapers and disposable briefs, hospital beds, oxygen and assisted breathing devices, and renovations to improve the accessibility of a homes.
Application deadline: Apply when taxes are filed.
Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program
This provincial program helps low-income seniors access free routine dental services, including check-ups, scaling, fluoride, repairing broken teeth and cavities, x-rays, oral surgery, treating infection and pain, and treating gum diseases. In Toronto, seniors can go to one of the public health-run clinics for free care.
Eligibility criteria: To participate, seniors need to be 65 years old or older, a resident of Ontario, have an annual net income below $22,200 for a single senior and a combined net income of $37,100 for a couple. Applicants also must not have any other dental benefits, including private insurance or dental coverage through a public program like the Ontario Disability Support Program.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant
This tax benefit allows senior homeowners in Ontario to decrease the amount of property taxes paid. In 2023, the grant pays a maximum of $500.
Eligibility criteria: For 2023, You can apply for the grant if you’re at least 64 and a resident of Ontario. You must also have not been in a prison or another institution as of Dec. 31, 2022 and for the next 179 days. You must have also filed your taxes in 2022.
Application deadline: Apply when taxes are filed.
Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit
This provincial tax credit allows Ontarians over 65 to claim up to $3,000 in public transit expenses and receive up to $450 annually.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must be 65 or older and live in Ontario on the last day of the previous tax year they’re claiming for. Applicants can claim fare on Ontario or municipally-operated public transit systems (like the TTC or GO). It must be for a short-haul service used on a return trip in a single day, a service offered to the general public, and operated by bus, train, subway or streetcar. Specialized services, like those designed to transport people with disabilities, also qualify if they meet all the other conditions.
Application deadline: Apply when taxes are filed.
Ontario Works
Ontario Works, which provides support for people who don’t have enough money for things like food and shelter, isn’t specifically for older adults, but the following benefits for people who receive Ontario Works are:
Advanced Age Item
An amount of $44 a month is automatically added to the Ontario Works payment for those who are 65 years of age or older and not receiving Old Age Security to help cover the costs of their personal needs.
Support for Guide Dogs
People receiving Ontario Works may receive $84 a month towards the care and feeding costs of a certified guide, hearing or service dog. The benefit is reviewed annually.
Support for costs to go to medical appointments
People receiving Ontario Works may receive funds for costs associated with transportation to medical appointments, including appointments with a doctor, dentist or other health professional, or an addiction treatment program. Costs must be more than $15 a month.
Special Dietary Needs
This allowance for people on Ontario Works covers the additional cost of food required for those on specific medical diets. The benefit is available for those with conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and more.
Eligibility criteria: To be eligible for Ontario Works you must be at least 16, an Ontario resident, have assets no greater than the limits set out in the program, be in financial need, and participate in employment activities.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Property Tax Increase Cancellation Program
This municipal relief program allows low-income seniors to avoid paying the increase on their property tax.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants must have paid their taxes in prior years, their water and utility account must be paid in full, the applicant’s property must have been owned and occupied for a year before Oct. 31, 2023. Applicants must also have a combined household income of $55,000 or less, a residential assessment of $975,000 or less, be 65 or older, or be 60 to 64 years old and receive Old Age Security or the Spouse’s allowance and be a person living with a disability or have disability benefits.
Application deadline: Aug. 31, 2024
Seniors Co-Payment Program
After reaching 65, Ontarians automatically qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program, which helps cover the cost of roughly 5,000 prescription drugs. Under the ODB, a single person with a yearly income of more than $22,000 pays a maximum of $6.11 for each prescription, once they’ve paid an annual deductible, or the first $100 out-of-pocket of their prescription costs.
With the Seniors Co-Payment Program, however, low-income seniors do not have to pay the annual deductible, and instead of paying up to $6.11, they can have that co-payment reduced to a maximum of $2.
Eligibility criteria: To apply, you must be 65 or older and have a valid Ontario health card number. If you’re single, your annual income must be $22,000 or less. If you’re part of a couple, your combined annual income must be $37,100 or less. (Spouses who are under age 65 can’t receive this benefit, but can apply for or stay in the Trillium Drug Benefit program. See Trillium Drug Benefit below.)
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Water Rebate and Solid Waste Rebate Programs
This city program allows low-income seniors to get a rebate on a portion of their water and solid waste bills.
Eligibility criteria: Applicants need to have a household income of $55,000 or less, be 65 or older, or be aged 60-64 and receiving Old Age Security, or be 50 or older and receiving a pension or disability benefits. For the water rebate program, applicants need to have a metered service and consume less than 400 m³ annually. For the solid waste rebate program, applicants have to be billed for a garbage collection bin (though extra-large bins aren’t eligible for the rebate) or be a single-family residential bag-only customer.
Application deadline: Aug. 31, 2024
Supportive Housing Program
Operated by the City of Toronto, the Supportive Housing Program allows senior residents in nine designated buildings around the city to live independently with assistance from personal support workers and registered practical nurses. Services include housekeeping and laundry, assistance with personal care, medication reminders, safety checks, light meal prep, and referrals to other services.
Eligibility criteria: Crucially, participants have to be a tenant at one of the nine designated buildings—those interested can apply for tenancy through the city. Other criteria include being 59 or over, being able to self-direct care and being able to self-administer medication. Tenants at a designated building who are interested in participating can apply through their building’s Supportive Housing office.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation
The Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC)is a city-run program formed in 2021 as a part of Toronto’s Tenants First plan. TSHC provides subsidized housing rental units to about 15,000 seniors across 83 buildings around the city. They provide rent-geared-to-income units—meaning tenants’ rent is about 30 percent of their gross income. There are waiting lists for these units right now.
Eligibility criteria: To become a tenant, at least one member of the household needs to be 16 or older and be able to live independently without support services. Each household member needs to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident (or applying to be one), or a refugee claimant. Applicants submit their Notice of Assessment for the current taxation year.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Trillium Drug Program
The Trillium Drug Program is meant to support individuals who have high prescription drug costs relative to their household income and don’t already qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefits Program (ODB). This includes older adults who are not yet 65 and those not enrolled in Ontario Works. The Trillium Drug Program covers the cost of about 5,000 prescription drugs that are currently available through the ODB, and about 1,000 drug products upon meeting specified criteria through the Exceptional Access Program.When you apply, you can be reimbursed for eligible drugs that you received in the previous program year, from Aug. 1 to July 31. After that, your household will automatically be enrolled every year if you file your taxes on time, and you’ll receive notice of your deductible for the next year—that is, the amount you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket before coverage begins. With that coverage, you’ll pay a maximum of $2 for every prescription you fill or refill.
Eligibility criteria: To apply, you must live in the province, have a valid Ontario health card number, and spend at least around 4 percent of your after-tax income on prescription drugs. You must not already have an insurance plan that fully covers your drug costs, and you must not already be eligible for ODB. (After you turn 65, you automatically join the ODB.) While you can apply for yourself if you live on your own, you must apply as a household.
Application deadline: Apply by Sept. 30 to get reimbursed for eligible drugs you received between Aug. 1 last year to July 31 of the current year.
About the author, Rebecca Gao
Rebecca Gao is a Toronto-based journalist interested in, more or less, everything. Her work has appeared in publications like Maclean’s, Chatelaine, Bon Appetit and more.
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