Low income grant supplement for seniors
A B.C. supplement for low-income seniors whose home owner grant is reduced or eliminated because their home is assessed above the $2,075,000 grant threshold. Most recipients get a cheque for $845 ($1,045 in a northern or rural area) for 2026.
We explain the official rules; we do not decide who qualifies. Eligibility is determined by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration). Check the official program page before you apply.
What the Low income grant supplement for seniors is
The low income grant supplement for seniors is a separate payment linked to the B.C. home owner grant. It is for seniors whose home owner grant "is reduced or eliminated because your principal residence is assessed above the grant threshold." The threshold for 2026 is $2,075,000.
Applicants must meet the eligibility rules for the home owner grant for seniors and have an adjusted net income or adjusted household net income of $32,000 or less. Between $30,000 and $32,000, the supplement may be reduced.
The province states that most qualifying seniors who apply "receive a cheque for $845 ($1,045 in a northern or rural area)." The amount depends on household net income and the assessed value of the principal residence, and it "will not exceed the amount you would have received if your principal residence qualified for the home owner grant." From January 1, 2027, the northern and rural amount ends and the supplement amount will be $845.
The supplement is administered and paid by the Property Taxation Branch of the Ministry of Finance, and it requires its own paper application.
Amounts
As published by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration)
| Item | Amount or rule | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical supplement cheque | $845 ($1,045 in a northern or rural area) | 2026 | 1 |
| Supplement amount from 2027 | $845 (northern and rural additional amount of $200 eliminated) | Effective January 1, 2027 | 1 |
| Income limit | Adjusted net income or adjusted household net income of $32,000 or less (including a spouse's income, if applicable) | 2026 | 1, 2 |
| Reduced supplement range | Adjusted net income or adjusted household net income between $30,000 and $32,000 | 2026 | 1 |
| Home owner grant threshold the property must exceed | $2,075,000 assessed or partitioned value | 2026 | 3, 2 |
| Maximum | Will not exceed the amount the owner would have received if the principal residence qualified for the home owner grant | 2026 | 1 |
Official eligibility criteria
- Meet the eligibility criteria for the home owner grant for seniors (including being 65 years of age or older in the current year, the registered owner, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, living in B.C. and occupying the residence as a principal residence).1,2
- Own a property with an assessed or partitioned value over the grant threshold.1
- Have an adjusted net income or adjusted household net income of $32,000 or less (including your spouse's income, if applicable).1
- A spouse or relative of a deceased owner who would have qualified may be eligible in the year of the owner's death, as long as they lived with the owner at the time of death and continue to live in the home.1
- If the principal residence is eligible to receive the full home owner grant, a supplement application will be denied.1
- Under the Home Owner Grant Act, the applicant must qualify under the regulations as a low-income individual for the tax year and apply to the grant administrator in the approved form.4
Quoted or closely paraphrased from the official program rules. Eligibility is determined by B.C. Ministry of Finance, Property Taxation Branch (Home Owner Grant Administration).
How to apply
The supplement is not claimed through the online home owner grant application. The province states that owners "must apply separately for the home owner grant and the low income grant supplement for seniors."
To apply, complete the Home Owner Grant Low Income Supplement Application (FIN 65) and mail it to Home Owner Grant Administration, PO Box 9446 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria BC V8W 9V6. The application must be received by December 31 of the current tax year.
A retroactive supplement is available for the previous tax year only, using the same FIN 65 form, also due by December 31 of the current year. Applying for both years requires two separate applications. The province also notes that owners deferring their property taxes should still apply for the home owner grant, if eligible, and for the supplement.
Questions go to 1-888-355-2700. Eligibility is determined by the B.C. Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch).
Key dates
- 2026 supplement application must be receivedDecember 31, 2026
- Retroactive (2025) supplement application must be receivedDecember 31, 2026
- Northern and rural amount eliminated; supplement amount $845January 1, 2027
Low income grant supplement for seniors: common questions
How much is the low income grant supplement for 2026?
The province states that most low-income seniors who qualify and apply receive a cheque for $845, or $1,045 in a northern or rural area. The amount depends on household net income and the assessed value of the principal residence, and it will not exceed what the owner would have received if the home qualified for the home owner grant.
What is the income limit?
Applicants need an adjusted net income or adjusted household net income of $32,000 or less, including a spouse's income if applicable. The province says that between $30,000 and $32,000 the supplement may be reduced. The income test is in addition to the home owner grant rules for seniors and the requirement that the home be assessed over the grant threshold.
Is the supplement applied for at the same time as the home owner grant?
No. The two are separate applications. The home owner grant is claimed online or by phone, while the supplement uses the paper FIN 65 form mailed to Home Owner Grant Administration in Victoria. The province also says an application will be denied if the principal residence is eligible to receive the full home owner grant.
What changes in 2027?
The province states that, effective January 1, 2027, the additional grant amount of $200 for northern and rural properties has been eliminated, and the supplement amount will be $845. This follows the Budget 2026 repeal of the northern and rural home owner benefit for the 2027 and later taxation years.
Can the supplement be claimed for a past year?
A retroactive supplement is available only for the previous tax year, for owners who were eligible last year and did not apply. It uses the FIN 65 form and must be received by December 31 of the current tax year. Owners applying for both the current and previous years must mail two separate applications.
Related programs
Sources
Checked a second time against these sources on October 28, 2026
- Low income grant supplement for seniors (last updated July 3, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 tax year; amount effective January 1, 2027 · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Home owner grant for seniors (last updated July 3, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 threshold; 2027 seniors amount · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Home owner grant (last updated September 22, 2026), Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance (Property Taxation Branch)Applies to 2026 grant threshold · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
- Home Owner Grant Act, RSBC 1996, c. 194 (current to October 27, 2026), Government of British Columbia, King's Printer (BC Laws)Applies to 2026 tax year (consolidation current to October 27, 2026) · checked October 28, 2026 · copy archived
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