How to Apply for the Nunavut Child Care Subsidy
Nunavut's Daycare Subsidy helps low-income families pay for child care while they work or study, and you apply for it through your community Income Assistance Worker.
How to Apply for the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit
No separate application: low-income Nunavut seniors who qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement receive it with their Old Age Security cheque.
Applies in: Nunavut
The short answer
There is no separate Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit application. The benefit is a monthly payment for low-income seniors in Nunavut who qualify for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). It is governed by the Senior Citizens Benefit Act, it is a co-managed payment program with the federal government, and it is included on the monthly Old Age Security cheque. If you already receive Old Age Security (OAS) and GIS in Nunavut, you do not fill in another form for this benefit.
That is the whole route. The application that matters is the federal one, for OAS and GIS, through Service Canada.
Who receives it
You will receive the benefit if you are a low-income senior in Nunavut who qualifies for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement. That is the test as the opened Government of Nunavut document states it. To get GIS you must be 65 or older, be receiving OAS, have a low income, and live in Canada.
The opened pages do not state whether spouses aged 60 to 64 who receive the Allowance are included, and they do not state an age threshold for the benefit itself, so this guide states neither. The GIS guide linked below carries the federal rules for GIS and the Allowance.
How to apply for Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement
Because the territorial benefit follows from GIS, the application that matters is the federal one. The steps are in our How to Apply for the Guaranteed Income Supplement guide and our How to Apply for Old Age Security in Canada guide. In brief:
- Apply through Service Canada. You can apply for OAS and GIS online through My Service Canada Account, or by paper form. Service Canada can tell you which form fits your situation.
- Apply before you need the money. GIS is income-tested, so Service Canada needs your tax information. Filing your tax return on time each year keeps the calculation current.
- Check that Nunavut is your place of residence. The benefit is for low-income seniors in Nunavut who qualify for GIS. If you move out of Nunavut, tell Service Canada so your payments are not delayed or overpaid.
There is no territorial form to chase after the federal application. Once you qualify for GIS, the benefit is included on your monthly OAS cheque. If you receive OAS and GIS in Nunavut and the benefit has not started, contact the Department of Family Services, which administers the program.
Keeping the benefit going
Two habits keep the payments coming:
- File your annual taxes every year. The GIS amount is worked out from the income on your previous year's tax return, and the territorial benefit follows from the GIS payment. A missed return can stall or stop the payment.
- Update your personal information when it changes. Tell the government about a change of marital status, address, or banking information so there are no delays in payments of the benefit, OAS, or GIS.
This guide gives no advice on whether you qualify. That decision sits with Service Canada for OAS and GIS, and with the Government of Nunavut for the benefit.
What the opened pages do not state
The opened Government of Nunavut document states the GIS gateway, the Senior Citizens Benefit Act, the co-managed payment with the federal government, and inclusion on the monthly OAS cheque. It does not state a monthly amount, an age threshold, whether Allowance recipients are included, a payment date, or a contact number, so this guide states none of those. The plot-time figure of $300 a month was cut: it was not verified on any opened Government of Nunavut page, and the Government of Nunavut program page itself returned an access error when opened, so no amount is carried here. Do not budget around $300 until the Department of Family Services confirms the current amount.
Related guides:
- How to Apply for the Guaranteed Income Supplement — the federal benefit the Nunavut benefit follows from, with the full application steps.
- How to Apply for Old Age Security in Canada — the federal pension you must receive before GIS and the territorial benefit.
- How to Apply for the Yukon Seniors Income Supplement — Yukon's monthly top-up for low-income seniors receiving GIS, also with no separate application.
- How to Apply for the Northwest Territories Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit — the Northwest Territories' version of the same benefit, at $196 a month.
- How to Apply for Income Assistance in Nunavut — Nunavut's income assistance program, run by the same department.
- How to Apply for the Nunavut Child Benefit — Nunavut's child benefit, also tied to a federal payment.
Getting the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit, in five steps
- Apply for Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income SupplementApply through Service Canada. The benefit starts with these two federal benefits.
- Service Canada works out your Guaranteed Income SupplementThe supplement is income-tested, so it is worked out from the income on your previous year's tax return.
- The territorial benefit is added to your Old Age Security chequeThe benefit is a co-managed payment with the federal government and is included on the monthly Old Age Security cheque.
- No separate territorial form is neededLow-income seniors in Nunavut who qualify for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement receive the benefit. There is no separate application to file.
- File your taxes every yearFiling each year keeps the calculation current, because the Guaranteed Income Supplement is worked out from your last tax return.
Questions people ask
Is there a separate application for the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit?
No. There is no separate form for the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit. You apply for Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement through Service Canada, and the benefit is included on the monthly Old Age Security cheque.
How much is the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit?
This guide states no monthly amount. The plot-time figure of $300 a month was not verified on any opened Nunavut government page, so it was cut rather than carried. Check the Department of Family Services pages for the current amount before you budget around a figure.
Who receives the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit?
Low-income seniors in Nunavut who qualify for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement receive it. The benefit is governed by the Senior Citizens Benefit Act and is a co-managed payment program with the federal government.
Do I have to file a tax return to keep the benefit?
Yes. File your taxes every year. Your Guaranteed Income Supplement is worked out from the income on your previous year's tax return, and the territorial benefit follows from that payment, so a missed return can stall or stop it.
When is the benefit paid?
It is included on the monthly Old Age Security cheque. The opened Government of Nunavut pages do not publish a separate payment date for the territorial benefit, so this guide gives none.
Who runs the Nunavut Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit?
Nunavut's Department of Family Services administers the benefit under the Senior Citizens Benefit Act, as a co-managed payment program with the federal government. For Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement, phone Service Canada toll free at 1-800-277-9914.
Sources
- Government of Nunavut, Department of Family Services Inuit Employment Plan 2024-2034 — the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit is governed by the Senior Citizens Benefit Act, low-income seniors in Nunavut who qualify for the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement receive it, it is a co-managed payment program with the federal government, and it is included on the monthly Old Age Security cheque.