Financial assistance may be available if you're experiencing financial difficulty. Below is a list of agencies who can help.
Alberta Seniors Benefit - Direct to Tenant Rent Supplement Program
Phone: 780-422-0122 Edmonton; 403-297-7453 Calgary; Toll-Free Alberta 310-0000
- A subsidy paid directly to an eligible tenant to assist with their rental cost.
- Applicant must meet the 2014 Core Need Income Thresholds and citizenship requirements.
- Priority for assistance will be based on assisting those in greatest need first.
Bissell Centre - Community Bridge Program, Edmonton
- The Community Bridge Program provides individuals who have received a disconnection notice, access to funds to pay overdue utility bills, support to negotiate with their landlord/utility company and assistance to find and apply for any benefits or grants they may be eligible for.
- Applies to Edmonton residents only.
- Online application is required.
BowWest Community Resource Centre – Calgary
Phone: Bowness office #403-216-5346 or Ranchlands office #403-374-0448
- BowWest works with people who live in northwest Calgary, connecting individuals and families in need with support, referrals and educational programs.
Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund - Financial Distress Program
Phone: 1-888-753-9828
- Provides assistance through grants and loans to serving and former Canadian Forces personnel when warranted by distress or other qualifying circumstances.
Care Connect Christian Society – Calgary
Phone: (403) 264-2636 - leave voice message for call back
- Provides undesignated temporary financial assistance.
Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) – Calgary
Phone: 403-221-8780
- Assists with utilities payments.
- A disconnection notice, 90 days worth of bank statements, two pieces of ID, and a proof of income required.
Grande Prairie Friendship Centre – Grande Prairie
Phone: 587-297-9500
- Provides assistance to people in immediate risk of evictions due to utility arrears.
Emergency Financial Assistance
Phone: 1-877-644-9992
- Emergency needs allowance.
- One-time utility assistance with disconnection notice (may assist second time but requires repayment).
- Deposits/reconnection fees are assessed separately.
- View a list of Alberta Supports offices in Alberta.
Money Mentors – for Credit Counseling
Phone: 1-888-294-0076
- Offers free Financial Needs Assessments by phone or through video chat across Alberta.
NeighbourLink Parkland – Parkland County, Stony Plain and Spruce Grove
Phone: 780-960-9669
- Provides funding for emergency utility payments on a case by case basis to residents of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and Parkland County.
Rise Calgary – Calgary
Phone: 403-204-8280
- The Basic Needs Fund is an emergency financial assistance fund, intended to help people out of unforeseen crisis. The fund can be used to pay for rent arrears, utility arrears, damage deposit or first months rent when moving to a new premise.
Seniors Financial Assistance – Special Needs Assistance Program
Phone: 1-877-644-9992 or (780) 644-9992 in Edmonton
- Utility arrears coverage available for each utility (water, electricity and gas) once every three years.
- Applicant must be a utility account owner and have a disconnection notice in their name from the utility company.
Society of St Vincent de Paul – Calgary
Phone: 403-538-0137
- Provides funding for emergency utility payments on a case by case basis.
Society of St Vincent de Paul – Edmonton
Phone: (780) 471-5577
- Provide funding for emergency utility payments on a case by case basis. Must be at current risk of service disconnection.
Southeast Calgary Community Resource Centre – Calgary
Phone: 403-720-3322
- When a family or individual reaches out for help, the staff are committed to assist with support in finding the right resources.
The Good Neighbour Fund – Edmonton
Email: info@goodneighbourfund.ca
- Provides limited financial resources to individuals not covered by other assistance within a 100 km radius of downtown Edmonton.
- Applicant must provide utility bills or disconnection notice.
- One-time funding; deadline is the last day of each month.
- Download the application form online.
Trellis – Calgary
Phone: 403-276-9981
- Home Stay housing first program that offers short-term assistance to families on the verge of homelessness and facing eviction because of overdue rental or utility bills, living in unsafe or overcrowded housing or have recently become homeless. / Must be children living in the home.
Wellington Resource Centre – Clairmont
Phone: 780-567-2843
- Provides assistance to residents of Northwest Alberta
Veterans Affairs – Canada
Phone: 1-866-522-2122
- Benevolent fund for emergency financial assistance for active and retired veterans.
- Application forms are on website.
Phone: 211
- Community support information line. Contact to find what emergency grants are available in your region.