Financial help

Canada Pension Plan – Disability Benefits The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability benefit is a monthly payment that is available to people who have contributed to the CPP and who are not able to work regularly at any job because of a disability.

The CPP disability benefit is not designed to pay for such things as medications and assistive devices.

To be eligible for a CPP disability benefit, you must:

• have a severe and prolonged disability
• be over 18 and under the age of 65
• have contributed enough to the CPP

You should apply as soon as you develop a severe and prolonged or terminal medical condition that prevents you from working regularly at any job.

Do not delay in sending your completed application forms. The date your application is received affects the date your benefit begins.

For more information about the Canada Pension Plan – Disability Benefits, click here.

Toll-free: 1-800-277-9914 (Service Canada)

Employment Insurance (EI) Caregiving Benefits:  Employment Insurance (EI) has caregiver benefits available, including family caregiver benefits for children if you are away from work to care for/ support a critically ill or injured child under 18 years of age. Family caregiver benefits are also available for adults if you’re away from work to care for a person that is 18 or older. There are also compassionate care benefits if you are away from work to provide care or support to a person who needs end-of-life care, whether they’re a child or an adult. To learn more about who can qualify, click here. For how to apply, click here.  

Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits: EI Sickness Benefits to individuals who are unable to work because of sickness, injury or quarantine. Generally, you need to have worked 600 insured hours in the 52 weeks before the start of your claim and prove that your earnings have been reduced by more than 40 per cent for a minimum of 1 week to qualify for sickness benefits.

To apply, you will need to submit:

• a medical certificate,
• personal information
• records of employment 

It’s important that you apply as soon as possible. If you apply more than 4 weeks after your last day of employment, you may lose benefits.

For more information about EI – Sickness Benefits, specifically, the application process click here.

Toll-free: 1-800-206-7218

Disability Insurance:

• Short-term disability insurance: Short-term disability coverage generally provides benefits for up to 6 months while you’re sick or injured. If your employer has a short-term disability plan, you are required to make your claims through that disability plan. If you lack short-term disability coverage or sick leave through your employer, you may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.
• Long-term disability insurance: Long-term disability insurance begins when benefits like short-term disability, sick leave from your employer, and EI sickness benefits conclude. Generally, most long-term disability plans will replace 60% to 70% of your normal income; however, each disability plan varies.  

Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run: The Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Foundation was created to help women/men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. There are many unexpected costs they may face that their health insurance program might not cover. Therefore, the goal of the Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Foundation is to provide financial support to women/men in these situations.

Veteran Affairs Canada provides various financial supports, including income assistance, help paying medical costs, emergency funds. Veteran Affairs Canada also provides benefits for family members, including health programs and services; financial programs and services and more.

Together We Stand Foundation: The Operation Emergency Fund is a program that aims to address acute financial challenges within the military community. Through an official partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces, Together We Stand works to get emergency funding to military families within a 72-hour period. Contact them at info@twsfoundation.ca. Phone: +1 416-324-9739.

• Canada Revenue Agency – Tax Credits and Deductions There are certain credits that you may be able to claim on your federal income tax return to decrease the amount of tax you pay.
• Medical Expenses Canada 2024: The medical expense tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit that you can use to decrease the tax that you paid or may have to pay. If you paid for healthcare expenses, you may be able to claim them as eligible medical expenses on your tax return. These expenses cover a variety of products, procedures and services, such as: medical supplies, dental care, and travel expenses. For the most part, you can claim all amounts paid, even if they were not paid in Canada. You can only claim the part of an eligible expense for which you have not been or will not be reimbursed. For more information on how to claim medical expenses, click here. 
• Disability tax credit (DTC) – Canada.ca: The disability tax credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax credit that helps people with disabilities, or their supporting family members, decrease the amount of income tax they may have to pay. If a medical practitioner is able to certifiy that you have a severe and chronic impairment, you may be eligible for the Disability tax credit. The person with the impairment is able to claim the disability tax credit on their income tax return once the CRA has approved the application. 

Hope Air: Hope Air is a national registered charity that helps Canadians in financial need fly to medical treatments.

Kindred Foundation and Phoebe Rose Rocks Foundation: Families travelling 150 km or more for their child’s cancer treatment and/or in significant financial need can receive a package containing $350 worth of gift cards from their social worker at partnering hospitals across Canada.

Patient Amenities Fund for Neuroblastoma: The James fund funds part of the Patient Amenities Fund, which is a source of support for families with children living with Neuroblastoma who have little financial resources and whose child is being cared for by SickKids. The fund helps with expenses not covered or only partially covered by public health insurance and community resources. Examples include travel, food, accommodation, medication, and medical equipment.

Emergency Fund Childhood Cancer Canada: The Emergency Fund is a program for patients and families who have a child or adolescent in active cancer treatment in Canada and need financial assistance. Childhood Cancer Canada is one of the only organizations that provides direct financial support for expenses like household bills, groceries, medication, transportation costs or meals throughout long treatment days at the hospital. Canadian families who have a child with cancer and who need financial assistance are eligible to access this program. 

To be eligible to receive funding, the child/patient must be:

• Diagnosed with cancer
• Receiving care at a Canadian hospital (active treatment/follow-up/after-care)
• 18-years of age and below

For more information about applying, click here.

RMHC Canada: Ronald McDonald Houses provides families who don’t live near a children’s hospital with a warm and compassionate home to stay together while their child is actively being treated at a close by hospital. The cost to stay the night at Ronald McDonald Houses ranges from $10-$15/night, and depends on which house you will be staying at. 

House locations: 

• Hamilton ($12/night), 
• Toronto ($15/night), 
• Windsor ($10/night but no family is ever turned away due to inability to pay), 
• halifax ($15/night but no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay)
• Vancouver ($12/night)
• Calgary ($15/night and financial assistance is available for families in need)
• Edmonton ($15/night and financial assistance is available for families in need), 
• London ($10/night but no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay), 
• Winnipeg ($10/daily but no family is ever turned away if they are unable to make the daily room), 
• Medicine hat (AB)($15/night and financial assistance is available for families in need), 
• Montreal ($10/night),
• St John’s ($15/night but if the bill is unmanageable,  guests will be provided with a complimentary stay) 
• Ottawa ($10/night), 
• Quebec city ($10/night), 
• Red deer (15/night and financial assistance is available for families in need), 
• Saskatoon ($10/night however no one will be turned away if they cannot make the suggested room contribution)

Life Insurance for People with Cancer | Canada Protection Plan: Canada Protection Plan offers life insurance for cancer patients and those with a history of cancer. No medical exams, needles or fluids needed. You can apply and get protected with a life insurance plan that is compatible with your needs. Canada protection Plan’s No Medical and Simplified Issue Life Insurance offers term or whole/permanent life insurance options. Permanent/whole life insurance plans are meant to help cover you for the duration of your life, covering expenses like final costs and outstanding medical debts. Term life Insurance Plans offer coverage for a specified period to assist with covering costs like tuition or a mortgage, in the case of a tragic death.

Bankruptcy Canada: If you need to file for bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Canada has support and resources on their website.

Credit Counselling Canada: Credit Counselling Canada has trained counsellors to help you with your debt and money problems. You can visit their website for more information.

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: The Financial Consumer Agency has information and resources to help you with spending and debt. You can find tools to help you with budgeting, financial planning and managing debt. Visit their website for more information.