This resource is also available as a PDF.
Who qualifies for a payment?
Any individual resident of Newfoundland and Labrador who:
Is aged 18 and older as of December 31, 2022
Has filed a 2021 tax return as a resident of the province
Earns an adjusted income of less than $125,000 per year
Residents with an adjusted income of less than $100,000 will receive $500. Residents with an adjusted income between $100,000 and $125,000 will receive a partial payment between $250 and $500.
Residents who haven’t filed their 2021 tax return may do so up until December 31, 2022, to be able to receive this benefit. No application is required.
How are the payments going out?
Physical cheques will be postal mailed by the provincial government to residents’ home addresses currently on file with the Canada Revenue Agency as of June 2022.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will issue cheques beginning mid-November 2022. Cheques will be processed over a period of at least six weeks, with the processing order based on individual incomes (lowest to highest).
Timelines for Cheque Processing
Cost of Living benefit cheques are being processed partly based on when an individual filed their 2021 Tax Return. This is because the CRA transfers the income tax information to the province in batches and then the province processes the cheques based on this information.
The first batch includes anyone who filed their 2021 Tax Return before mid-June 2022
The second batch includes anyone who filed their Return between mid-June and mid-September 2022 (this group should receive the benefit before the holidays)
The third and all additional batches will include people who filed their 2021 Tax Return after mid-September 2022 and they will likely receive their cheque early in the new year. Unfortunately, we don’t have a firm date on what that mid-September date was that divides the second and third data transfers.
Where can I go to get help filing my taxes?
Residents can contact the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (toll free) at 1-855-516-4405.
211 Find Help also has tax-filing listings to assist residents with completing their 2021 tax return to receive the cost of living benefit. Call or text 211, or see their website at nl.211.ca
Seniors NL can assist residents aged 50+ with filing their tax return to receive the benefit. Call them toll-free at: 1-800-563-5599, or email: info@seniorsnl.ca
How do I give CRA my correct address?
Cheques will be mailed to eligible residents based on their address on file with the Canada Revenue Agency as of June 2022.
Please contact the Tax Administration Division at 1-877-729-6376 or email taxadmin@gov.nl.ca should you require an address change or have any questions about this program.
What if I don’t have a fixed address?
Individuals and families without a fixed address can often use the mailing address of a local organization or community center. If you don’t have a trusted family member or friend with a fixed address nearby, contact your closest community center or a local service provider.
Additional Information
The CRA has no way of intercepting the cheque for people who owe money to income tax
People who are owing to the Provincial Government for (e.g.) income support, school tax, etc. will receive their cheque and it will not be clawed back
The cost of living benefit will not impact the Worker’s Compensation benefit.
The cost of living benefit will not impact your Employment Insurance claim.
Those who owe child support, with an enforcement order in place, will have their cheque removed and handed over to support enforcement.
Where is this information from?
For this resource, we summarized information from the Public Advisory and One-Time Cost of Living Relief released from the Department of Finance. We also consulted the Cost of Living Relief Regulations issued by the Office of the Legislative Counsel. It also includes information from phone calls with the Department of Finance, Workplace NL, and MP Seamus O’Regan’s Office.
To our knowledge, this is the most accurate information from official sources. That said, people’s experiences receiving the cost of living payment may differ. Food First NL is not an official source of information on the One-Time Cost of Living Benefit. If you have additional questions, please contact the Department of Finance’s Tax Administration Division.
