Frequently Asked Questions - Additional Grant

Questions:

	I turn 65 years old after the property tax due date. Can I apply for the additional grant?
	What is the Expansion of Eligibility to low-income seniors and others?
	My spouse and I are both registered owners of our home. I claimed the basic grant as I am under the age of 65. Can my spouse now apply for the additional grant?
	Are all people with disabilities entitled to claim the additional grant?
	I am not disabled, but I have had to spend a significant amount of money to modify my home since my disabled parent came to live with me. Can I claim the additional grant?
	What proof do I need to claim the additional grant under the B.C. Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act?
	I receive compensation from the Workers' Compensation Board for a debilitating injury. Why don't I qualify for the additional grant?
	I receive a disability pension due to a war injury. Do I qualify for the additional grant?
	What proof do I need in order to claim the additional grant as a recipient of the war veterans' allowance?

Answers:

Yes. You qualify for the additional grant as long as you turn 65 during the current calendar year.

Starting in the 2007 tax year, the additional grant is provided to some low-income homeowners or occupants (which includes an eligible occupant of an eligible apartment, housing unit, land cooperative or multi-dwelling leased parcel) who would otherwise qualify for the grant except that their home's assessed value is above the threshold. This ensures low-income seniors and other qualified individuals who own and reside in properties that have increased in value beyond the threshold and who may face financial hardship may receive some or all of the grant.

As you have already claimed the grant for the current year, your spouse cannot apply as well. Only one person can claim a grant for a property in one year.

No. Persons receiving assistance under the B.C. Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act are eligible. Also, persons with a permanent disability who have the required Form B - Certificate of Physician and Property Owner completed by their doctor are eligible if they also meet the requirements under the Home Owner Grant Regulation with regard to costs incurred for physical assistance and/or structural modifications to the home.

The Home Owner Grant Regulation requires that you are paying more than $150 per month for physical assistance or you have incurred more than $2,000 in costs for structural modifications to your home to accommodate your disability. Continuing from January 2006, you may also qualify if you purchased a home with structural modifications made by a previous owner if the modifications have a value of more than $2,000 and they meet your particular physical requirements.

Effective for the 2008 tax year, if the design specifications for your newly constructed principal residence are modified to accommodate your (or your spouse’s or relative’s) disability, you may qualify for the additional grant. The changes to the structural features of the home must have a value that exceeds $2,000.

Yes. The Home Owner Grant Act and Regulation also provide for homeowners or occupants with a disabled relative living with them. Form B - Certificate of Physician and Property Owner is required. The disabled person's doctor must fill out Part A; you must fill out Part B, certifying the disabled person is your dependent, spouse, or relative, he/she lives with you, and the physical assistance or modifications necessary accompanied by receipts (see above).

You need a Consent for Release of Information form from your employment and assistance worker stating that you are designated as a person with disabilities and receiving disability assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement under the Act. A Consent for Release of Information form must accompany your grant application each year.

To be considered a "person with a disability" and qualify for the additional grant, you must meet the criteria set out in the Home Owner Grant Act and Regulation
(see above).

You do not qualify if your disability pension is issued under the Canadian Pension Commission. However, you qualify as a veteran if you receive an allowance under the War Veteran Allowance Act (Canada) or the Civilian War - Related Benefits Act (Canada). These Acts cover only WWI, WWII and the Korean War.

You may also qualify as a person with a disability if you are permanently disabled. You will require Form B - Certificate of Physician and Property Owner, and you need to show that you are incurring significant expenses for physical assistance and/or modifications to your home (see above).

You need a current letter from Veterans Affairs Canada confirming your receipt of an allowance under the War Veterans Allowance Act (Canada) or the Civilian War - Related Benefits Act (Canada).