As social assistance is a provincial/territorial responsibility, each of Canada’s 13 sub-national jurisdictions has its own program or programs with unique regulatory frameworks, administrative rules, eligibility criteria, benefit levels, and provisions for special benefits or other types of assistance. Although the specifics may vary, the basic structure of these programs is very similar across the country. Note that while the federal government typically has no responsibility for program design or administration, it does provide some funding for social assistance through the Canada Social Transfer. (Note that, in some jurisdictions, the federal government has responsibility for the administration of and/or cost-sharing for social assistance programs delivered in Indigenous communities.)

The next four sections examine several key features of social assistance programs and how they vary across the country.

1. Eligibility for social assistance: Assets and income
The first section looks at the “needs test,” which is the primary determinant of eligibility for benefits. Each jurisdiction imposes asset and income limits beyond which a household is not eligible for benefits, as well as exemptions to these limits. This section provides a brief overview of how the needs test works for assets and two types of income, and enumerates the allowed limits or exemptions for each.

2. Indexation of benefits and credits
The second section provides information about whether social assistance benefits in each jurisdiction are indexed to inflation. Information is also included about the indexation of other provincial or territorial benefits and tax credits received by our example households, as well as which jurisdictions have newly indexed benefits or credits in this calendar year.

3. Cost-of-living and shelter benefits breakdown
The third section outlines the structure of social assistance benefits in each jurisdiction, indicating whether basic cost-of-living and shelter benefits are accounted for and delivered separately or together in one benefit amount. Basic cost-of-living benefits are those that are intended to pay for items like food and clothing, and shelter benefits are those intended to pay for items like rent and utilities. Details about the other benefits received by our example households are included in the footnotes.

4. Shelter benefits for unhoused households
The final section, which is new for 2024, provides information about the shelter-related benefits that are available from social assistance programs in each jurisdiction to people who are unhoused and not paying for shelter. It also shows a comparison of the basic social assistance benefits available to an unattached single considered employable household in each jurisdiction depending on whether they were paying for shelter in 2024. Information about the regulatory framework for shelter benefits and related discretionary benefits as well as specific jurisdictional details are also included.