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Family Affordability Package
Help for Manitoba seniors
As part of the Family Affordability Package, Manitoba seniors with 2021 family net income of less than $40,000, who rent or own their own homes and claimed the Seniors Education Property Tax Credit as reported on their 2021 tax return, will receive a $300 payment.
This is a refundable tax credit and not taxable income.
It is estimated that approximately 52,500 senior households will receive a $300 payment, for a total of $16 million.
Eligibility
- Aged 65 or older on December 31, 2021 (or spouse or common-law partner was aged 65 or older on December 31, 2021)
- Own or rent their principal residence in 2021
- Claimed the Education Property Tax Credit on their 2021 income tax return form (MB479)*
- Had less than a $40,000 in family net income as reported on their 2021 income tax return (line 6 on form MB479)
* If you received an Education Property Tax Credit Advance on your property tax statement, and your spouse or common-law partner did not claim an Education Property Tax Credit on their 2021 income tax return form, you may also be eligible. Note that only one person can claim an Education Property Tax Credit for a given principal residence, and spouses and common-law partners cannot both claim the credit.
Available assistance
- A $300 cheque will be mailed to each eligible senior household.
How to apply
- Applications for Seniors Affordability payments are now closed.
- The deadline to apply for persons who believe they were eligible for a payment but did not receive a cheque was September 30, 2023.
- Government will continue to redirect cheques or issue new cheques to persons who have already been sent cheques but did not receive them or were unable to cash them due to an address change or lost cheque.
- If you meet the eligibility requirements, please send your name, birthdate and address to [email protected] requesting that we check to see if you have been sent a Seniors Affordability payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Seniors with a family net income less than $40,000, who claimed the Education Property Tax Credit on their 2021 income tax return.
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Individuals are eligible if:
- they, or their cohabiting spouse or common-law partner, were 65 or older on December 31, 2021;
- own or rent their principal residence;
- claimed the Education Property Tax Credit on their 2021 income tax return form MB479 and had less than $40,000 in family net income as reported on that form.
- Individuals who were ineligible for the Education Property Tax Credit on their income tax returns, because they received Employment and Income Assistance or Rent Assist benefits, or their school tax bill or rent payments are too low, are also eligible for the payment. If individuals entered information into the MB479 form regarding their property tax / rent costs, they should receive a payment automatically. However, individuals who did not fill out the Education Property Tax Credit portion of the MB479 should contact Manitoba Government Inquiry for help determining their eligibility.
- Note that only one person can claim an Education Property Tax Credit for a given principal residence. Spouses and common-law partners cannot both claim the credit.
- Each eligible person will receive a payment of $300.
- Cheques will be sent automatically to those eligible to receive a payment.
- Cheques will be mailed to the address an eligible person provided on their 2021 income tax return.
+ - Are these payments related to the Education Property Tax Rebate cheques that are being sent out to home owners?
- No. These payments are separate and will not affect a person's eligibility for the Education Property Tax Rebate or the amount of their rebate payment.
- Persons will not receive payments until they have filed their 2021 income tax return.
- Persons will have until December 31, 2022 to file their 2021 income tax return in order to be eligible.
- Those who filed their 2021 income tax return after December 31, 2022 will not be eligible.
- Those who were otherwise eligible but have passed away are not eligible for the payment. However, if they have a surviving cohabiting spouse or common-law partner that person may receive their payment.
- It is estimated that approximately 52,500 seniors will receive payments of $300, totalling approximately $16 million.
- No. The payments will legislated as refundable tax credits under the Income Tax Act and will not be taxable.
+ - If a person doesn't receive a cheque, can the payment be claimed on their 2022 income tax return?
- No. The payments are being administered outside of the income tax return system. Those who didn't receive an advance payment, should contact [email protected].
Contact us
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Call: 204-945-3744 or 1-866-626-4862 (Toll-Free)
Email: [email protected]