Eligible Seniors & Low-Income Residents Can Save Money on Property Taxes, Water & Energy Bills

Save some money by applying for municipal and provincial programs intended to help low-income residents and seniors. You might like to know about these programs yourself, or you can pass along to your neighbours.

The first three programs are for ongoing assistance, and the rest are for emergency situations.

Ongoing Assistance

City of Toronto Property Tax and Water Relief Programs:
Eligible seniors can have municipal property tax increases either cancelled outright or deferred until the property is sold. It’s based on household income and other criteria but there could be considerable savings. The Water Rebate Program also uses income as one of its criteria.

Both programs use the same application form.

Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant
Seniors who qualify, can receive as much as $500 per year under this program managed by the Ontario Government. As with the other cases, household income is one of the criteria.

Read more about and apply for the Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP):
The Ontario Energy Board manages a program that provides eligible residents with reduced electricity bills (between $30 and $50 per month) based on household income level. The application is online, but there is also a printable form that can be given to residents without internet access.

Online Application Form
Printable Application Form

Emergency Assistance Programs

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
Low-income residents can get up to $500 in emergency assistance for electricity bills ($600 if your home is heated electrically) and $500 for gas bills. The assistance is only available if the resident is behind on bill payments, or in arrears, and may face having service disconnected or switched off. It is for emergency situations only and is not meant to provide for ongoing help to pay bills. Applications are handled via a number of government and social service agencies.
Read more about eligibility and how to apply

Hydro One Free Energy-Saving Upgrades
If you qualified for the LEAP program noted above, you might also be eligible for free energy-saving upgrades from Hydro One. Income level and number of residents is used to determine eligibility.
Read more about Hydro One Free Energy-Saving Upgrades

Emergency Energy Fund (EEF)
This program is for low income residents of Toronto who are not in receipt of social assistance, and have received a disconnection notice or have already been disconnected and do not have sufficient income and/or assets to pay the arrears.

Residents should call 416-338-3332 where an initial eligibility assessment is done.
Read more about the Emergency Energy Fund

Crediting the Cabbagetown Residents Association for gathering this information