Canada Benefits Wayfinder Tool

Canada Benefits Wayfinder Tool

The Canada Benefits Wayfinder tool is a plain language, easy-to-use, free online tool that simplifies the search for federal and provincial/territorial government benefits that help people boost their incomes or reduce their expenses. It can be used by individuals or by community service providers assisting clients with accessing income supports.

The Benefits Wayfinder is a free, easy-to-use, plain language tool that helps people on low and modest incomes find and track benefits they could get. It is a tool that can be used on its own or with the support of an agency staff person. The tool provides personalized benefit recommendations based on the specific life circumstances of each individual and highlights the benefits that are accessible through tax filing.

The tool is designed to close Canada’s gap in benefit take-up by reducing the complexity of searching for government benefits. It has been co-designed with target users and is user-friendly, available in English and French, and presented in plain language. The tool also includes a Disability benefits Compass that helps individuals and their caregivers navigate national and provincial disability income supports.

How to Use the Canada Benefits Wayfinder tool

How to Use the Canada Benefits Wayfinder tool?

Since its launch in January 2022, the free online tool has helped more than 145,000 people find federal, provincial, and territorial benefits that can help them boost their incomes or reduce their expenses. The easy-to-use, plain language bilingual tool is personalized for each user by asking questions about their life circumstances and then provides customized benefit recommendations. It also underscores the value of tax filing by highlighting benefits that are available only by filing a return.

Today’s re-launch also includes the release of Disability Benefits Compass, a companion tool that helps individuals and frontline workers who support people with disabilities to learn about the national and provincial disability income supports they may be eligible for. Both tools are co-designed and co-developed with target users to ensure they are user-friendly, easy to use, and presented in plain language.

What is Canada’s low low-income Benefits?

Many Canadians have difficulty affording the cost of living in Canada. But, there are several government benefits available to help reduce costs. The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) helps offset the cost of raising children, while the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax credit helps low and moderate-income families reduce the taxes they pay on goods and services. Other government benefits include the refundable Canada Training Credit, which can help offset the cost of tuition fees and education-related expenses.

In addition, some provinces offer their own distinct programs that provide assistance to lower-income families. For example, the Alberta Family Support Program provides financial assistance to help with the cost of childcare and a prepaid card that can be used to purchase essential items. The Ontario Work and Income program provides a monthly payment to eligible people who have low-incomes, helping them meet their daily needs and participate in the community.

In addition, the Canada Disability Supplement is a monthly payment to low-income seniors over 65 that can be used to help with the cost of caregiving and other living expenses. The Quebec Family Allowance and the Allocation d’aide à l’emploi are additional benefits that can help families with low incomes in Quebec. And the New Brunswick Home Renovation Tax Credit can help offset the cost of making home repairs or improvements to make them more accessible for people with disabilities and increase energy-efficiency.