You may be eligible for the shelter allowance program if you spend too much of your budget on rent and you are in any of the following situations:
- You are 50 or older and live alone.
- You are a member of a couple and you or your spouse is 50 or older.
- You are a member of a low-income household (composed of workers, students or income-security recipients, for example) with at least one dependent child.
The shelter allowance program applies to:
- homeowners
- tenants
- rooming house occupants
- any individual who shares a dwelling with one or more other occupants
The shelter allowance program takes into account the number of persons in your household, the type of household you live in, your income and your monthly rent.
You may receive a monthly allowance of up to $80, which is paid every month by cheque or direct deposit. As a rule, you will begin receiving the allowance one month after you file your application. We review the amount of the allowance once a year.
You are not eligible for the shelter allowance program if:
- you live in a low rental housing unit (HLM) or a government-funded health and social services centre
- you receive a rent supplement or another housing subsidy
- you or your spouse, where applicable, have belongings or cash amounts that exceed $50,000 in value (excluding the value of your residence, land, furniture and car)
To receive the shelter allowance, you and your spouse, if you have one, must have filed your Québec income tax return. Moreover, you must meet the program’s eligibility criteria and enclose the required documents along with your application. Note that only one member per couple can apply. The amount of the allowance will be the same regardless of who in the couple files the application.
