Social Assistance Resources: Prince Edward Island

The Social Assistance Program helps you meet your basic needs when you cannot. The program provides help on a case-by-case basis to people who meet the requirements.This program will assist in paying for food, shelter, medications, basic dental, glasses, and funeral costs.

The Child Care Subsidy Program assists Islanders with the cost of child care and daycare services for children up to and including 12 year-olds. 

Housing assistance provides low income Islanders with appropriate housing at a reduced cost. For qualified applicants, this might be renting a social housing unit or receiving a rent supplement that reduces the cost for rental market housing. The program is needs-based with priority given to those assessed to be in the greatest need.

The Family Housing Program provides quality rental housing units for Island families and individuals in core housing need. Islanders with low incomes, poor housing conditions or other special circumstances that create a need for assistance and who may not otherwise be able to obtain adequate housing, may be eligible for the family housing program.

Islanders with low incomes, poor housing conditions or other special circumstances that create a need for assistance and who may not otherwise be able to obtain adequate housing, may be eligible for the seniors housing program.

The PEI Home Renovation Program provides financial assistance to qualifying Islanders to help cover the cost of major structural renovations to their homes. Eligible applicants may receive up to a maximum of $12,000 for eligible renovations to the structure, heating, plumbing, and electrical systems, or to improve life safety. In the case of an applicant with a permanent disability, a maximum of $16,000 may be available if the renovations improve the accessibility of the house. 

If you are 60 years of age or older and you apply to the PEI Home Renovation Programs, you will automatically be assessed for the Seniors Home Repair Program to help with the cost of repairs to your home. You could receive up to a maximum of $4,000 in assistance for eligible repairs such as repairs to a roof, windows, doors, or a furnace.

The Prince Edward Island Generic Drug Program is for Islanders under the age of 65 who do not have insurance. The program limits out-of-pocket costs for eligible generic prescription drugs to a maximum cost of $19.95.

If you are a low-income family, you may qualify for the Family Health Benefit Drug Program which helps cover the cost of approved prescription medications for you and your children if they are under the age of 19 or under the age of 25 and a full-time student. 

If you are pregnant and have a nutritional deficiency, you may be eligible for coverage of approved nutritional supplement costs through the Nutrition Services Program.

PEI Pharmacare helps Islanders with the cost of eligible prescription medications, certain medical supplies, and pharmacy services. You may be eligible to receive either partial or full coverage through one of the drug cost assistance programs.

Two different types of funding are available to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Preschool autism funding is available to help parents and licensed early childhood centres to hire an Autism Assistant for children receiving Intensive Behavioural Intervention (I.B.I.) support.
School-age autism funding is available to help parents and designated community-based organizations to help offset the costs of hiring one-on-one tutors and aides in home and group settings.

The provincial government wants to ensure Islanders living with disabilities can access the tools they need to reach their full potential and contribute to society as fully as possible. These improvements mean supports will be more personalized and focus on empowering individuals and their families, through
- support for all disabilities including physical, intellectual, neurological, sensory and mental, based on an assessment;
- a new assessment tool to help better understand how the disability affects activities of daily living to ensure appropriate support is provided;
- a supports coordinator to navigate all available support services and develop a personalized plan to meet individual needs;
- increased supports for finding or keeping a job including coaching and skills training;
- increased financial help for home and vehicle modifications required because of a disability -$10,000 every 10 years for home (was $2,000 in a lifetime) and $6,000 every 8 years for a vehicle (was $2,000 in a lifetime); and
- a single point of contact by calling a toll-free number for easier access to support.

If you have a severe permanent disability that prevents you from participating in post-secondary studies and the labour force for the rest of your life, you may be able to have your student loans cancelled through the Severe Permanent Disability Benefit.