If you live in Ontario, you may have heard of this program, known as GAINS (Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System), which helps create and maintain guaranteed income levels for Ontario seniors. This program is for seniors with low incomes and provides them with tax-free monthly payments.
When it comes to the GAINS program, how much you receive for your monthly GAINS payments depends on how much annual private income you bring in. Your Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement amounts don’t count. No matter how much you receive, though, you’ll still get the payment on the same day.
Applying for GAINS and How it Works
To receive GAINS payments, you don’t have to apply. If you have already applied and been approved for Old Age Security, you may also be eligible for GAINS if you live in Ontario. This is similar to how other territorial and provincial programs work. For example, if you already qualify for the Canada Child Benefit, then you could also qualify for the Alberta Child and Family Benefit. The decision you get is based on your income after you file your personal income taxes.
Other programs like this include the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit, the Ontario Trillium Benefit (Ontario Sales Tax Credit, Northern Ontario Energy Credit, Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefits as well as the former Climate Action Incentive Payment and Canada Carbon Rebate. Just like with these, if you don’t get automatically registered and believe you should, you can challenge it.
For the GAINS benefit, you can contact the Ontario Ministry of Finance or complete a formal Notice of Objection within 90 days.
GAINS Amounts
In Ontario, the GAINS program will provide eligible seniors with a maximum monthly payment amount of $87 to help more seniors cover basic needs and add to their guaranteed minimum income. How much you actually receive is based on the allowable private income amounts.
However, the amount is added to your Old Age Security pension and your GIS payments. It’s important to remember that while this is a provincial program, all payments are made to you through the federal government from the Canada Revenue Agency.
How GAINS Rates Are Decided
When it comes to how much you receive from GAINS, your age, marital status, and private income earnings will affect how much you’re eligible to receive. Keep in mind, though, that your OAS, GIS, and GAINS amounts are combined and will change with inflation every 3 months or so. Here are some amounts you could receive based on your private income levels.
| Age | Marital Status | Minimum Private Income | Maximum Private Income | GAINS Amount |
| 65-74 | Single Seniors | $0 | $23.99 | $90 |
| 65-74 | Single Seniors | $2,160 | $2,183.99 | $45.00 |
| 65-74 | Single Seniors | $4,320 | Anything Higher | $0 |
| 65-74 | Married, both pensioners | $0 | $47.99 | $90 |
| 65-74 | Married, both pensioners | $4,320 | $4,376.99 | $45.00 |
| 65-74 | Married, both pensioners | $8,640 | Anything Higher | $0 |
| 65-74 | Married, one pensioner | $0 | $8,879.99 | $90 |
| 65-74 | Married, one pensioner | $13,152 | $13,299.99 | $45 |
| 65-74 | Married, one pensioner | $17,472 | Anything higher | $0 |
| 65-74 | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $0 | $8,879.99 | $90 |
| 65-74 | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $13,152 | $13,299.99 | $45 |
| 65-74 | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $17,472 | Anything higher | $0 |
| 75 + | Single Seniors | $0 | $23.99 | $90 |
| 75 + | Single Seniors | $2,160 | $2,183.99 | $44.5 |
| 75 + | Single Seniors | $4,320 | Anything higher | $0 |
| 75 + | Married, both pensioners | $0 | $47.99 | $90 |
| 75 + | Married, both pensioners | $4,320 | $4,367.99 | $45.00 |
| 75 + | Married, both pensioners | $8,640 | Anything higher | $0 |
| 75 + | Married, one pensioner | $0 | $9,791.99 | $90 |
| 75 + | Married, one pensioner | $14,064 | $14,111.99 | $45 |
| 75 + | Married, one pensioner | $18,384 | Anything higher | $0 |
| 75 + | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $0 | $9,791.99 | $90 |
| 75 + | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $14,064 | $14,111.99 | $45 |
| 75 + | Married, Spouse 60-64 | $18,384 | Anything higher | $0 |
What You Need To Qualify for GAINS
To qualify for the GAINS program in Ontario, you need to meet some eligibility requirements. These include:
- Being 65 years of age
- Being a Canadian resident for at least 10 years
- Living in Ontario for 12 months or a total of 20 years since the age of 18
- Receiving both the federal OAS pension and GIS payments
- Meeting the private income requirements (up to $4,320 for a single senior and $8,640 for couples)
You may be wondering, though, what counts as private income. Well, this includes things like workplace pensions, bank interest income, and the Canada Pension Plan. That said, you don’t have to apply to start receiving the GAINS amount you don’t need to apply. As long as you file your annual tax returns and are approved for the GIS amount, you’ll start receiving this supplement.
If you disagree with a decision you received for the GAINS program, you can contact the Ontario Ministry of Finance by registered mail or phone. You can also complete a formal Notice of Objection form within 90 days of receiving a written decision.
Payment Dates in 2025 and 2026
Every year, the payment dates you’ll receive these amounts vary. Let’s take a look at the payment amounts for the 2025/2026 benefit year, which runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. They’re issued around the 25th of each month. This could vary by holiday and weekend; however, if you’re registered for direct deposit payments, you’ll see the funds in your account then.
What to Do if Your GAINS Payment is Late or Missing
If this happens, the best thing you can do is contact the Ontario Ministry of Finance right away. That way, they can determine the cause and how to resolve it. Sometimes it can be as simple as some of the details provided being incorrect, having the wrong banking information, or even just an error.
How Gains Payments Impact Your Other Government Benefits
Since all GAINS payments are non-taxable, they won’t interact with any of your other benefits. Your benefit amounts are online impacted by taxable income. Your income, which determines your benefits, is based on your taxable income each year.
GAINS Payments and How They Impact Your Income Taxes
There is no tax impact because these payments are non-taxable. Only taxable payments will affect your income taxes.
How Your GAINS Payments are Impacted if You Are Widowed, Separated, or Leave the Country
Since GAINS amounts are impacted by your overall income and marital status, being widowed or separated could increase your payments. Once you are no longer an Ontario resident, you’ll no longer be eligible for the benefit. Since the decisions for this credit are automated, when your tax situation changes, that’s when your benefits will change.
GAINS Programs in Other Provinces
If you’re a senior who’s looking into getting low-income government benefits but doesn’t live in Ontario, other provinces do offer similar programs. Let’s take a look at these and how they work.
British Columbia
In BC, there’s a supplement called the Seniors Supplement, which is given to low-income seniors. To receive this supplement, you must be approved for both Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. You don’t need to apply for this program either; it will just be given to you if you file your annual income tax and benefit return. The amount you’re provided with is based on the information received by the federal government.
How much you receive from the Seniors Supplement is based on your annual income and how much you receive from the GIS. The more income you receive, the less you’ll get from the supplement. The federal government will look at your tax return and decide which amount you qualify for.
BC, however, also has the SAFERs program. This program helps make rent more affordable for BC seniors with low or moderate incomes. As long as you meet the income requirements, you can save money on your monthly rent.
Alberta
In Alberta, low-income seniors can qualify for the Alberta Seniors Benefit. To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 65 years of age
- Have lived in Alberta for at least 3 months
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Meet the financial requirements
- Receive the OAS pension
There are many different factors that affect the amount you’ll receive from this benefit, including marital status, age, and annual income. The benefits are based on your annual income, and the benefit year ranges from January to December. Unlike the other programs, you will apply to the Alberta government and all income counts, including income from a Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, this benefit is known as SIP or the Seniors Income Plan. This amount is provided to those who have little or no income besides OAS and GIS. The amounts given are based on your age, income and marital status.
In order to be eligible for this benefit, you must be:
- At least 65 years old
- A permanent resident of Saskatchewan
- Receiving full or partial amounts of OAS and GIS
- Meeting the annual income requirements
In order to start receiving SIP payments, you don’t have to qualify. All you need to do is be approved for OAS payments. If you’re eligible to start receiving SIP payments, you will start receiving them automatically.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, the seniors’ income supplement is called the Employment and Income Assistance 55 Plus Program. With this program, you don’t have to apply if you receive OAS benefits; however, if you don’t, you will have to apply. For old-age security seniors, you’ll start receiving the amount automatically if you qualify. The benefit year from this program goes from April 1 to March 31.
New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, the government offers annual benefits to low-income seniors. For 2024, you can receive the annual benefit of $600 if you’ve been a resident since December 31, 2023, and receive a benefit under the Old Age Security Act. These include:
- The federal GIS amount
- Federal allowance for the survivor
- Federal allowance
All these amounts must have been received in 2023. In the case that there is more than one person in the household who receives these benefits, only one person will receive the benefit.
Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, funds are provided to low-income seniors in the form of the low-income seniors grant. This grant is meant to help with the costs of household services, healthcare services and home heating. If you’re approved, you can receive $750.
While you may not need to provide your receipts, some recipients are required to, so you should keep them. Eligible expenses that are approved under the grant are:
- Cooking and meal prep
- Grocery and meal delivery
- Healthcare services
- Home heating costs and repairs
- Medication delivery
- Outdoor work
- Phone services
- Transportation costs
- Small home repairs
Newfoundland and Labrador
In Newfoundland and Labrador, you could qualify for the refundable tax credit for low-income seniors, known as the NL Seniors Benefit. This particular benefit is made in quarterly installments in January, April, July and October.
In Newfoundland, no matter your relationship status, a net income of up to $29,402 will get you the maximum benefit of $1,516. You can receive some form of grant up to an income of $42,404. You also have to be 64 years old as of December 31 to qualify for the year.
Nunavut
In Nunavut, the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit is available to low-income seniors who receive the Old Age Security pension. Nunavut has an agreement with the federal government that those who receive the SCSB will get it added to their OAS cheque. This amount is $300 per month.
In order to be eligible for this benefit, you have to be at least 60 years old and receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement or the federal Spouse’s Allowance. If you’re approved for either of these and complete your annual tax return, then you’ll receive this benefit.
Northwest Territories
In the Northwest Territories, you can get the NWT Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit, which helps low-income seniors cover income costs. In order to qualify for this benefit, you have to receive GIS and OAS, or the Spouse’s Allowance. While these are non-taxable benefits, you do have to report this income.
Once you’re approved, you can receive $196 per month, which is included in your monthly GIC and OAS payment. If you’re signed up for direct deposit, you’ll receive the money on the third last banking day of the month, or your cheque will be sent on this day.
Yukon
Low-income seniors in Canada can be approved for the Yukon Seniors Income Supplement, which is $288.61 per month. However, the amount you receive is calculated by the Government of Canada based on the amount you receive from GIS every month. From there, the federal government will send all of the names of those who qualify to the Yukon government. That said, the requirements include:
- Being a Yukon resident
- Being 65 years of age
- Receiving OAS
- Receiving GIS
- Receiving the spouse’s allowance or the survivor’s allowance
Prince Edward Island
In Prince Edward Island, low-income seniors have access to the Seniors Independence Initiative, which provides financial assistance for some services in order to make it easier for them to stay in their homes as well as their housing communities.
In order to apply, you must be at least 65 years old and live alone or with a spouse. For single seniors, your annual net income can’t exceed $32,753. For senior couples, your net income can’t exceed $41,970. You must also not have combined assets that are greater than $100,000.
The services that this initiative provides funds for are:
- Housekeeping
- Meal prep
- Transportation
- Medical alert systems
- Grass cutting
- Snow removal
- Communication
The maximum amount that those who apply are able to receive is $1,800.
Community Resources Available to Help With GAINS
For Seniors looking for help on maximizing their income and finding all of the benefits that they’re eligible for, there is 211 Ontario and the website for the Ontario Ministry of Finance. These resources can help you find what you could be eligible for.
