Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters (SAFER) is a monthly rent subsidy from BC Housing for renters aged 60 and older with low to moderate incomes. It is paid by direct deposit on the last working day of each month, and each payment covers that month’s rent.
How much you’ll get
SAFER doesn’t pay a flat amount. Your subsidy depends on your household income and your rent, up to a rent ceiling. BC Housing publishes these figures:
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Highest rent counted (rent ceiling), singles and couples, anywhere in B.C. | $1,150 a month (since April 2025) |
| Household income limit | Under $40,000 a year |
| Smallest payment | $50 a month |
| Average subsidy after the April 2025 increase | $337 a month (B.C. figure) |
The rent ceiling is the most rent SAFER will count. Example: if you pay $1,400 a month, SAFER works out your subsidy as if your rent were $1,150. A rent increase above the ceiling won’t raise your subsidy, but BC Housing still asks you to report it.
BC Housing doesn’t publish the full formula. For an estimate, use its help with rent calculator, which gives figures for April 2025 onward.
If you pay room and board (two or more meals a day, care or personal services included), SAFER counts half of what you pay as your rent.
Who qualifies
You may qualify if all of these apply:
- You are 60 or older.
- You have lived in B.C. for the past 12 months.
- Your household income is under $40,000 a year, and you file a tax return every year.
- You pay more than 30% of your gross (before-tax) monthly household income on rent. If you own a manufactured home, pad rent counts.
- You and your spouse meet the citizenship rules: a Canadian citizen or permanent resident not under sponsorship, a government-sponsored refugee, a refugee claimant, or in Canada under the CUAET visa for Ukrainians.
You can’t get SAFER if you:
- get B.C. income assistance or disability assistance (unless it has ended and you only get Medical Services Only)
- live in subsidized housing, or in a care facility funded by the Ministry of Health
- live in a housing co-op and are a shareholder
The BC Senior’s Supplement and the BC Bus Pass don’t affect SAFER. Send a copy of their T5007 slip with your application so BC Housing can leave that money out of your income.
How to apply
- Get a form. Download the SAFER application form, call 604-433-2218 or 1-800-257-7756 to have one mailed, or pick one up at a BC Housing office.
- Attach copies (not originals) of your proof of income, proof of age, proof of rent and bank information. For income, you can give BC Housing permission to get your tax information from the CRA instead of sending your tax return. For rent, send your tenancy agreement. If it’s more than 12 months old, add a recent rent increase notice, rent receipt or cleared rent cheque. For your bank, send a personalized void cheque or a direct deposit form.
- Send it in. Upload it with BC Housing’s Program Upload Form, drop it at a BC Housing office, fax it to 604-439-4729, or mail it to SAFER, BC Housing, 101-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4V8.
BC Housing writes to you once it has made a decision. If you qualify, your subsidy starts in the month BC Housing receives your application. For example, an application received on July 29 starts in July, and that first payment arrives at the end of July.
SAFER is paid only by direct deposit. If you don’t have a bank account, you will need to open one.
Reapply every year. BC Housing mails a reapplication form about three months before your birthday. Existing clients can also reapply online through BC Housing’s Citizen Portal. If you don’t send it back, the payments stop.
What changed in 2026
BC Housing hasn’t announced new SAFER rates for 2026. The larger changes came on April 1, 2025, when B.C. raised the income limit from $37,240 to $40,000 and increased the average subsidy by nearly 30%. The rent ceiling of $1,150 has been in place since April 2025.
BC Housing has paused updates to its website during the fall 2026 local elections. Its pages say the content is current as of September 22, 2026.
Payment late, missing or different?
SAFER arrives on the last working day of the month. If it hasn’t arrived by the end of that day, check with your bank first. Then call the SAFER office at 604-433-2218, or toll-free anywhere in B.C. at 1-800-257-7756. Lines are open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, except holidays.
Common reasons a payment is missing or smaller than usual:
- Your yearly reapplication is late, or wasn’t sent in.
- Your bank account changed. Send BC Housing a void cheque or a pre-authorized debit form from your new bank.
- You moved. Call right away and mail a copy of your new tenancy agreement with your new address, rent, landlord and move date.
- Your income or household changed. You must report changes in income, but not the usual cost-of-living increases to CPP or OAS.
SAFER isn’t taxable, but if you get more than $500 in a year, you must report it on your tax return. BC Housing sends you a T5007 slip.
Watch for scams. BC Housing and the government never ask for fees, gift cards or passwords by text or email. If you get a message about your SAFER payment, don’t click the link. Call BC Housing yourself on the numbers above.
Other help you might be missing
- Guaranteed Income Supplement: a monthly federal top-up for low-income seniors 65 and older on OAS.
- BC Senior’s Supplement: a small monthly B.C. top-up paid to people who get the GIS or the Allowance. It doesn’t affect SAFER.
- The Allowance: for people 60 to 64 whose spouse gets the GIS, or who are widowed.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: the GST/HST credit, renamed in July 2026. It’s paid four times a year when you file your taxes.
Common questions
When is the SAFER payment date?
SAFER is paid on the last working day of each month. The calendar at the top of this page shows the expected dates.
How much does SAFER pay?
It depends on your income and rent. The minimum is $50 a month, and B.C. says the average after April 2025 is $337 a month. BC Housing’s online calculator gives an estimate.
Can I get SAFER if I’m on income assistance or disability assistance?
No. The only exception is if your assistance has ended and you only get Medical Services Only.
Do I have to reapply for SAFER every year?
Yes. BC Housing mails a reapplication form about three months before your birthday, and you must return it to keep getting paid.
Is SAFER taxable?
No, but you must report it on your tax return if you get more than $500 in a year. BC Housing sends you a T5007 slip.