Income Assistance Program
About This Program
The Income Assistance Program is a program of last resort intended to help Nunavut families and individuals meet their basic needs when for various reasons, including disability, illness, low-income or periods of unemployment, they are unable to provide for themselves.
There is an expectation that you apply to all other programs that you may be entitled to such as employment insurance, various pension programs, worker’s compensation and child maintenance, and that you access all other financial resources that you may have available first, such as money in the bank and RRSPs, before you apply to the government’s program. Annual filing of your annual tax return is also required.
Who Can Apply
Any person 18 years of age and older in financial need living in Nunavut may apply for Income Assistance.
Determining Eligibility:
- You will be required to have a monthly financial assessment completed with an Income Assistance Worker.
- You will be required to develop a Productive Choice with your Income Assistance Worker to become more self-sufficient
- Productive Choices may include upgrading of your schooling, training, parenting under certain circumstances, employment, community work, harvesting and/or individual mental health or alcohol and drug counseling.
- Individuals who have a disability or are over the age of 60 are exempt from engaging in a productive choice.
How to Apply/Application
Contact your community Income Assistance Worker to set up an appointment.
Contact Information
For assistance and information, contact your Income Assistance Worker or your Family Services Regional Office:
- South Qikiqtani: 867-975-6580 /1-855-975-6580
- North Qikiqtani: 867- 473-2607 / 1-800-567-1514
- Kivalliq: 867-645-5040/ 1-800-953-8516
- Kitikmeot: 867-983-4032 /1-800-661-0845
Extended Health Benefits (EHB)
Website: https://www.gov.nu.ca/en/health/extended-health-benefits
About This Program
The Department of Health offers Extended Health Benefits (EHB) to support the health and well-being of Nunavut residents who need additional health care services not covered by the Nunavut Health Care Plan.
The EHB is also offered to those not covered or fully covered by their third-party insurance like Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), or employer-provided health plans.
EHB is made available for Nunavut residents with a valid Nunavut Health Care Card who are:
- non-indigenous residents with one of specified conditions
- non-indigenous residents who are Seniors, age 65 and older
- all residents who have exhausted their third-party insurance or have no medical travel benefits
Persons are not eligible for Extended Health Benefits (EHB) coverage when any of the following conditions apply:
- choose not to participate in the third-party plan as a whole
- choose not to participate in that category of benefits under the third-party plan
- are already insured by a third-party plan that offers these benefits
Application/Contact Information
Contact our EHB team for more information:
Nunavut Health Insurance Programs Office
Department of Health
Box 889
Rankin Inlet, NU
X0C 0G0
phone: (867) 645-8029 | email: [email protected]
fax: (867) 645-8092 | toll-free: (800) 661-0833
Disability Grant for Nunavut Students
Website: https://www.gov.nu.ca/en/newsroom/disability-grant-available-eligible-fans-recipients-2023-11-16
About This Program
Did you know that Nunavut students with permanent disabilities can apply for a Disability Grant under the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students (FANS) program to assist with the costs associated with post-secondary education?
The Disability Grant provides a maximum of $8,000 per year for equipment and services directly related to a student’s education.
This is available to recipients of the Basic Grant and does not need to be paid back.
How to Apply/Application
Apply for the Disability Grant by completing the application form and providing a FANS Disability Assessment Form along with a copy of a medical or learning ability assessment by a certified medical professional, describing how the disability impacts your ability to participate in post-secondary studies.
Students only need to complete this application form once each new academic year.
Contact Information
If you have questions about the FANS Disability Grant or need assistance completing your application, contact the FANS office at:
- [email protected] (Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement).
- [email protected] (students not enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement).
For more information, visit the FANS webpage.
