The Nova Scotia Seniors Care Grant gives $750 to lower-income seniors to help pay for home heating, household services and healthcare services. It’s one grant per household, and you have to apply. Applications for the 2026–27 grant are open from September 1 to December 1, 2026.
How much you’ll get
| Grant | Details |
|---|---|
| Amount | $750 per household |
| Covers services from | April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 |
| Household net income limit | $45,100 or less |
| Application window | September 1 to December 1, 2026 |
The grant is a flat $750. There’s no sliding scale. If you’re under the income limit and meet the other rules, you get the full amount.
Example: A 72-year-old widow who rents an apartment in Truro, has a net income of $24,000 and pays for heat and a phone line can apply once and receive $750.
Example: A couple, both 66, with a combined net income of $44,000, can get one $750 grant for their home. Only one of them applies.
What the grant can be used for
Nova Scotia lists services that help you stay in your home safely and comfortably:
- Home heating: furnace oil, natural gas, propane, firewood, wood pellets, electricity, and repairs or regular maintenance of your heating system.
- Healthcare services: for example eye exams, dental work, mental health support, physiotherapy, occupational or massage therapy, chiropractic care, foot care, dieticians and hearing services. Medical devices and equipment aren’t covered.
- Home maintenance and repairs: lawn care, snow removal, wood stacking, tree removal, and labour and delivery for repairs.
- Cleaning and moving help: laundry services, organizing, downsizing or moving.
- Meals and delivery: meal preparation or delivery, grocery delivery, and home delivery of medication. The cost of the food or prescriptions themselves isn’t covered.
- Phone and internet: phone, cell phone and internet service, but not the device.
- Transportation: taxis, ride shares, shuttles, buses, Access-A-Bus and ferries.
Who qualifies
- You’re 65 or older by March 31, 2027.
- Your household net income is $45,100 or less.
- You live in a home or apartment you own or rent, with your name on the property title, Land Titles Initiative Certificate of Claim, lease, or a band administrative letter from a First Nation community. A utility bill with your name and address is also accepted.
- You’ve paid, or will pay, for eligible services between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.
- No one else in your household has applied.
How to apply
- Apply online at novascotia.ca between September 1 and December 1, 2026. You’ll need the social insurance numbers and dates of birth of the adults in your home.
- Or apply on paper. Print the form, pick one up at an Access Nova Scotia centre, or call 902-424-5200 or 1-800-670-4357 to have one mailed to you.
- Keep your receipts. You don’t send them in, but you must show them if you’re selected for an audit. Receipts need the date, the service, the cost, your name, and the name and address of the provider.
You can check the status of your application online.
What changed in 2026
The 2026–27 grant is $750 and the income limit is $45,100. Applications run from September 1 to December 1, 2026, for services from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. The grant has a yearly application window, so if you got it in an earlier year, make sure you also apply for 2026–27.
Payment late, missing or different?
There’s no fixed payment date. Nova Scotia says it should take about 8 weeks to get your money after you apply. If your income tax refund is direct deposited, the grant is too. Otherwise, a cheque is mailed.
- Wait 8 weeks from the day you applied.
- Check your application status online.
- Then call 902-424-5200 or 1-800-670-4357, or email [email protected].
Watch for scams. Nova Scotia won’t text or email you asking for a fee, gift cards or your banking passwords to release the grant. Apply only through novascotia.ca or the official paper form.
Other help you might be missing
- Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP): Nova Scotia’s fact sheet notes you can apply to HARP as well, when it opens in October.
- Guaranteed Income Supplement: a monthly top-up to OAS if your income is low.
- Nova Scotia Affordable Living Tax Credit: up to $255 a year, paid with the federal CGEB.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: a quarterly federal payment for low- and modest-income people.
- Benefit deadlines: other applications with cut-off dates.
- Benefits checkup: see what else you qualify for.
Common questions
When is the Nova Scotia Seniors Care Grant deadline?
December 1, 2026. Applications opened September 1, 2026.
How long does the Seniors Care Grant take to arrive?
About 8 weeks after you apply, by direct deposit if your tax refund is deposited, or by mailed cheque.
Do I need to send receipts?
No, not when you apply. Keep them, because you’ll need them if you’re audited.
Can both my spouse and I apply?
No. Only one person per household can apply, and each household gets one $750 grant.
Can renters get the Seniors Care Grant?
Yes. Your name must be on the lease, or you can show a utility bill with your name and address.