Seniors & Family Support Resources

Canada provides several income supports and benefits for seniors and families. The Old Age Security (OAS) pension is a monthly payment for people aged 65 and older who have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18. The maximum monthly OAS payment (as of 2026) is about $700, but it is clawed back for high-income earners (over $90,000/year). The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is an additional monthly payment for low-income seniors who receive OAS. The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a contributory pension — you pay into it during your working years and receive a monthly pension starting at age 60 (reduced) or 65 (full). The average CPP retirement pension is about $700/month. The maximum is about $1,400/month if you contributed the maximum for 40 years. You can also split your CPP with your spouse. For families, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment for families with children under 18 — up to $7,000/year per child under 6 and $5,900/year per child 6–17, based on family income. The Canada Child Disability Benefit is an additional amount for children with disabilities. Other supports include the GST/HST credit, the Climate Action Incentive, provincial benefits (Ontario Trillium, BC Climate Action Tax Credit, Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit), and the new Canada-wide $10-a-day childcare program (rolling out through 2026). Seniors can also access property tax deferral programs, senior's transit passes, and community seniors' centres. For healthcare, seniors 65+ may have prescription drug coverage through provincial plans (OHIP+ in Ontario for under 25, Pharmacare in BC for over 65). For long-term care, there are publicly funded nursing homes (with wait times) and private retirement homes ($2,000–$6,000/month).