Ontario is supporting low-income seniors by proposing to expand the Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) program to about 100,000 more seniors and indexing the program annually to inflation.
Announced as part of the 2023 Budget: Building a Strong Ontario, the proposed expanded GAINS program would begin in July 2024.
“Our government is working for the Ontario seniors who have built this province so they can live comfortably and with dignity,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “By expanding and annually indexing the GAINS program, we are providing financial support to more vulnerable low-income seniors and ensuring that when their costs rise due to inflation, our support also increases.”
The provincial government is also investing close to $1 million over three years to expand the Seniors Safety Line. This province wide resource is available 24/7 to help seniors who are experiencing or at risk of elder abuse, by connecting them with trained counsellors who can support and assist them.
“Our government is working hard for Ontario’s seniors. They deserve to have steady and reliable programs, services and income supports now and into the future,” said Raymond Cho, Ontario Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “Increasing our investment in the GAINS program helps our most vulnerable seniors. They deserve dignity and respect, and this shows that our government takes the wellbeing of seniors very seriously.”
In addition to providing support for seniors, the government’s plan is taking significant actions to Build Ontario by driving economic growth, attracting new jobs and investments, and getting key infrastructure projects built faster. By working for workers, keeping costs down, and providing better services, the government is building a strong Ontario that is working for seniors, families, and businesses.