COVID-19 Social and Community Supports

• If you are behind on your electricity or natural gas bill and face having your service disconnected, you may qualify for emergency financial help through the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).

Learn more and apply to LEAP

• If you are a Hydro One Customer, a Pandemic Relief Fund (external link) has been established. Contact Hydro One at 1-888-664-9376 to check if you qualify.

• The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is temporarily deferring loan payments and interest accrual for OSAP borrowers (external link).

• To support older adults with costs incurred due to COVID-19, the Canadian Government is providing a one-time tax free payment of $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) Pension.
• It is also providing an additional $200 for those eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Learn more about the one-time special payment

• On March 25, 2020, the Ontario government announced a temporary top-up (external link) to payments for low-income older adults made through the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) for up to 6 months, beginning April 2020.

If you're an older adult and a homeowner living in Halton Region on a fixed income, you may qualify for the Older Adults Property Tax Deferral Program.

• The COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program is available for Canadians traveling abroad who do not have an available source of funds to return home.

Learn more and apply to the COVID-19 Emergency Loan Program

• The Canada Student Service Grant is a new national initiative to promote and recognize students’ service contributions to the COVID-19 efforts.
• It provides students with a grant of up to $5,000 to support their post-secondary education costs in the fall.
• The application is now available.

Learn more about the Canada Student Service Grant

• Services are available online or by calling 311.
• Essential in-person services are available by appointment.
• If you are in an immediate financial crisis, you may qualify for financial assistance through the Ontario Works program or health-related items through the Region's Low Income Program.

• If you are looking to find affordable rental housing in Halton Region’s private market, Halton Housing Help can assist with resources.
• To learn more, visit the Region's Halton Housing Help page or call 311.

• You may be eligible for assistance with rental arrears, hydro arrears and other one-time housing related supports.
• To learn more, visit the Region's Housing Stability Fund page or call 311 to review your eligibility. 

• Shelter services are available online for homeless individuals and families.
• For emergency shelter services, please call 311.

Whether you reside with your aging parent, or live separately, caring for aging parents at home during COVID-19 is no easy task. Here are a few tips to help you, as a caregiver, through this difficult time:

What you can do to help the older adult:

• Arrange for groceries, medication or other essential items to be delivered directly to their door
• When caring for, or living with, someone over the age of 70:
• Wash your hands often and clean regularly touched items
• Limit visitors
• Avoid sharing household items such as cups and towels
• Sleep in separate rooms and use separate bathrooms (if able)
• Avoid close contact by practicing physical distancing (2 metres or 6 feet) as much as possible
• When possible, encourage the older adult to book a virtual doctor appointment instead of going into the doctor’s office
• Set the older adult up with a laptop or tablet device. Remember to sanitize it before you give it to them.

*If you think you, or your aging parent, has COVID-19 symptoms, use the Ontario COVID-19 online self-assessment (external link) to help determine how to seek further care. If testing or self-isolation is recommended, follow Public Health Ontario’s guideline for caregivers (external PDF).

What you can do to help yourself as a caregiver:

• Create an inventory of all of the tasks you manage. Ask for help if your list is too long to manage alone.
• Take care of yourself first. Your own self-care and well-being is integral in your ability to care for someone else.

Reach out to fellow caregivers for support. No one understands the hardships of caregiving better than another caregiver.

• You or someone you care for may be eligible for care and services at home or in your community. To learn more, contact the Local Health Integration Network at 1-877-336-9090 in Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville and 905-639-5228 in Burlington.
• Distress Centre Halton (external link) provides telephone and online support to people in our community to better cope with crisis, loneliness, and emotional stress.
• For more information, visit the Halton Senior Services Directory (external link).