Financial Assistance

Ontario Works provides monthly income support to help eligible individuals meet essential living expenses, such as rent, utilities, and basic household needs. The program adjusts the amount of financial assistance based on family size, housing costs, and other personal circumstances.

View our social assistance page for further information, or apply here.

If you are currently in an emergency or crisis situation, such as fire, a flood or loss of home, or you are concerned for your safety, you may qualify for a temporary, short-term period of financial assistance. Contact the Ontario Works office to discuss your situation and to review your eligibility.

Email: ss@lanarkcounty.ca

Call: 613-267-4200 ext. 2140

If you are currently caring for a child under the age of 18 who is not your biological child and you are not legally obligated to support, you may qualify to receive Temporary Care Assistance. Contact our office to discuss your situation and schedule an in-office appointment to review your eligibility.

Email: ss@lanarkcounty.ca

Call: 613-267-4200 ext. 2140

We may be able to help if you are behind on your bills. You may be eligible to receive financial help with:

• Rent deposits
• Utility arrears
• Rent/mortgage arrears
• Property tax arrears
• Emergency minor home repairs (e.g. furnace/oil tank, plumbing, well/water system, roof, accessibility repairs/modifications)
• Transportation
• Hygiene kits
• Access to food

To apply, email our social services department, or call 613-267-4200 ext. 2140 to book an appointment.

 

Be prepared for your appointment. You must provide the following documentation as part of the eligibility review process:

• Identification for all household members (valid birth certificates)
• Verification of income (pay stubs, Ontario Works / Ontario Disability Support Program)
• 30-day current bank statement showing present balance
• Documentation supporting requested funds such as hydro/utility bill, landlord letter regarding rental arrears or last month’s rent

Need help reducing your child care costs? Families who live in Lanark County and the Town of Smiths Falls can apply for Child Care fee subsidy. Fee subsidy helps with the cost of licensed child care for children under 13 years old.

Learn More at Parents/Guardians.

The Affordable Housing Capital Grant provides funding in the form of a 15-year forgivable loan and is available to Lanark County property owners, community agencies, non-profit and for-profit residential developers who are planning to build new affordable rental housing units or convert non-residential buildings to new affordable rental housing units. Homeowners in Lanark County who are planning to add a secondary unit in their owner-occupied home that will be rented out may also be eligible. The maximum funding is based on the cost of approved work items and HST, payable up to $25,000, with an additional $10,000 for units built in the Municipality of Mississippi Mills.

For more information, please see the Grant Guidelines and Application or contact us at 613-267-4200 ext. 2402 or at housingapplications@lanarkcounty.ca.

The Affordable Housing Tax Incentive Grant‘s (AHTIG) goal is to help increase the supply of affordable rental, cooperative, and supportive housing in Lanark County. The AHTIG will provide funding to eligible applicants in the form of an annual operating grant issued at the commencement of the year. The grant is equivalent to the County portion of property taxes for the number of units which meet the affordability criteria, for a period of 15 years. For example, if 50% of the building units meet the affordability criteria, the County will provide an annual operating grant to the owner that is equivalent to 50% of the County portion of the property tax for a period up to 15 years.

For more information, please see the AHIT Application or contact us at 613-267-4200 ext. 2402 or at housingapplications@lanarkcounty.ca.

The Homemakers Program offers housekeeping assistance if you live alone and/or are unable to do light housekeeping, with services provided by Care Partners and Bayshore Homecare Solutions. The amount of support available is up to 4 hours per month.

Eligibility is limited to low-income households that are receiving Personal Support Worker (PSW) services. Physical eligibility is assessed by the Community Care Access Centre.

To apply, a client’s caseworker must complete a referral form and submit it to housingapplications@lanarkcounty.ca.

The Homeownership Program in Lanark County provides a one-time down payment assistance of up to 8% of the purchase price for eligible first-time home buyers. The maximum eligible home price is currently $543,000 (under review by the Province), and applicants must have a household income below $122,100 (also under review). To qualify, individuals must be renting in Lanark County, purchasing a home within the county, and meet the first-time home buyer criteria.

To apply, complete the Homeownership Application 2025-2026 and the Homeownership Information Sheet, then submit all required documents by email to housingapplications@lanarkcounty.ca, or drop them off at any of the county’s three offices. For assistance, contact the Housing Department at 613-267-4200 ext 2402.

A Portable Housing Benefit (PHB) is a monthly benefit paid directly to eligible low-income households to bridge the gap between affordable rent (roughly 30% of income) and some or all of average market rent.

Who is Eligible?

The Lanark PHB is portable anywhere in Lanark County. Applicants must:

• Be on the Lanark County Centralized RGI Wait List or eligible to be on the wait list
• To be eligible for PHB, you cannot have income of more than:
  • $32,000 for a bachelor unit
  • $46,000 for a one-bedroom unit
  • $52,500 for a two-bedroom unit
  • $56,000 for a three-bedroom unit
  • $65,000 for a four- or five-bedroom unit

  Your income limit applies to the largest unit that you are allowed to move into, even if you move to a smaller unit

• Reside in Lanark County
• Not be receiving rent-geared-to-income (RGI), another portable housing benefit, a housing allowance, rent supplement or other housing benefit
• Not be a homeowner
• If you are on the RGI Waitlist and accept this program you name will be removed from the Wait List

Benefit amounts are calculated based on average monthly rent and household income. The average monthly rent in Lanark County is:

1 bedroom	2 bedroom	3+ bedroom
$1,350	$1,503	$1,725

 

How to Apply:

Currently there is a waitlist for the PHB program. Please contact Housing Services at 613-267-4200 ext. 2402 to add your name to the waitlist.

Who is Eligible

Applicants must:

• Be on the Lanark County Centralized RGI Wait List or eligible to be on the wait list
• Reside in Lanark County
• To be eligible for ORA, you cannot have income of more than:
  • $32,000 for a bachelor unit
  • $46,000 for a one-bedroom unit
  • $52,500 for a two-bedroom unit
  • $56,000 for a three-bedroom unit
  • $65,000 for a four- or five-bedroom unit

  Your income limit applies to the largest unit that you are allowed to move into, even if you move to a smaller unit

• Not be receiving rent-geared-to-income (RGI), another portable housing benefit, a housing allowance, rent supplement or other housing benefit
• Not be a homeowner
• You can remain on the RGI Wait List and still receive the program

The benefit amount is calculated based on average monthly rent and household income. The average market rent in Lanark County is:

1 bedroom	2 bedroom	3+ bedroom
$1,350	$1,503	$1,725

How to Apply

Currently there is a waitlist for the ORA program. Please contact Housing Services at 613-267-4200 ext. 2402 to add your name to the waitlist.

Who is Eligible?

The Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) is portable anywhere in Ontario. Applicants must:

• Be on the Lanark County Centralized Wait List or eligible to be on the wait list
• Not be receiving rent-geared-to-income (RGI), the Lanark PHB, a housing allowance, rent supplement or other housing benefit
• not be a homeowner
• If you are on the RGI Waitlist and accept this program you name will be removed from the Wait List

 

How to Apply

Currently there is a waitlist for the COHB program. Please contact Housing Services at 613-267-4200 ext. 2402 to add your name to the waitlist.