Office of Terry Sheehan

Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie

MP Terry Sheehan says Canadian Seniors to Receive One Time Tax-free Payment this Week

For Immediate Release

July 7, 2020 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), or Allowances will receive their one-time, tax-free payment this week without needing to apply. Seniors eligible for OAS will receive a payment of $300, and those seniors also eligible for the GIS will receive an additional $200, for a total of $500. Allowance recipients will also receive $500.

6.7 million seniors who are eligible for the OAS pension and 2.2 million who are eligible for the GIS, will benefit from this payment. Seniors who reside in Canada can expect to receive the payment by direct deposit or cheque this week.

This $2.5 billion investment in financial support will help Canadian seniors cover increased costs caused by COVID-19.

“This payment will help our seniors cope with extra costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As we navigate through this unprecedented time in our communities, it is essential we provide extra support and adapt to meet seniors’ needs during this public health crisis.”

Terry Sheehan, M.P. for Sault Ste. Marie

As we carefully and gradually re-open the economy, the Government of Canada will continue to support seniors and respond to COVID-19 health, social, and economic impacts.

Seniors who need assistance with your OAS, GIS or Survivors Benefit status, can fill out a simple service request form at https://eservices.canada.ca/en/service/ and a Service Canada representative will contact you by telephone within two business days.

You can also email or call my office for further information.

[email protected]

705-941-2900

Quick Facts

The Government has taken a number of other actions to support seniors through the COVID-19 pandemic, such as:

• Contributing $9 million through United Way Centraide Canada for local organizations (including United Way Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District), to support practical services to Canadian seniors. These services include the delivery of groceries, medications, or other needed items, or personal outreach to assess individuals’ needs and connect them to community supports

• Providing a one-time top-up payment through the GST credit in April. More than 4 million low- and middle-income seniors benefitted from this top-up, receiving a total of $1.3 billion in financial support. Close to 85 per cent of single seniors and almost half of senior couples benefited from this payment.
• Temporarily extending GIS and Allowance payments if seniors’ 2019 income information has not been received. This will ensure that the most vulnerable seniors continue to receive their benefits when they need them the most. To avoid an interruption in benefits, seniors are encouraged to submit their 2019 income information as soon as possible and no later than by October 1, 2020.
• Providing seniors flexibility with their Registered Retirement Income Funds, by reducing minimum withdrawal requirements by 25 per cent for 2020. This will help preserve assets during a volatile market.
• Investing an additional $20 million to expand the New Horizons for Seniors Program to support organizations that offer community-based projects that reduce social isolation, improve the quality of life of seniors, and help them maintain a social support network.
• Investing $100 million to improve access to food for Canadians, including seniors, facing social, economic, and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Creating a $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund to support charities and non-profit organizations to adapt the services they provide to vulnerable groups, including seniors, in response to COVID-19.
• Introducing the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), a taxable benefit of $2,000 every 4 weeks for up to 24 weeks to eligible workers, including seniors, who have stopped working due to COVID-19. Pension income does not affect eligibility to the CERB.

Media Contact:

Jennifer MacNab

613-406-1280

[email protected]