A special benefit is granted to cover moving costs for health or hygiene reasons
OR
the installation or repair costs of a heating system.
A maximum amount of $200, covering both moving costs and those related to a heating system, is granted in a 12-month period.
MOVING
Only persons who have been recipients for at least 6 consecutive months are eligible for this special benefit. The recipient must receive prior authorization to confirm this need.
In the case of recipients with a severely limited capacity for employment, prior authorization is also required, but there is no minimum prescribed period for program eligibility.
Eligible expenses are the expenses generally incurred for moving such as:
- transportation of the furniture;
- storage of the furniture;
- incidental expenses resulting from the move (e.g.: the costs of replacements of driving licenses and registration certificates, connection and disconnection expenses of public utilities(electricity, telephone, cable, gas, etc.) and the fees required by Canada Post to redirect mail)
If a move is necessary for HEALTH reasons, the applicant must produce a medical certificate that establishes a connection between the conditions in his or her accommodation and his or her health. The limitation can also be a physical or psychological health problem. This need may also be based on preventive considerations, if supported by a medical recommendation.
If a move is necessary for reasons of HYGIENE, the beneficiary must show that his or her purpose in moving is to prevent the conditions of his or her environment from affecting the health of the members of his or her family. The report of an inspector or a competent person or agency attesting to the unhealthiness of the dwelling, or an order from the Superior Court to vacate the building in which the dwelling is located, constitutes sufficient proof to authorize the move.
Health-endangering conditions may result from a disaster. When a REPORT attesting to the unhealthiness of the premises CANNOT BE OBTAINED, the counsellor may personally decide, after visiting the premises, to approve moving costs if he or she sees that the condition of the accommodation or the house is harmful to the health of the occupant(s). The presence of the following conditions may assist the counsellor in making a decision:
- unclean and dilapidated premises;
- the presence of vermin or harmful insects;
- infiltration of water;
- extreme humidity;
- absence of heating;
- absence of openings (windows);
- absence of sanitary facilities (toilets);
- backup of sewage, etc;
CASE RELATED TO AN EVICTION
Where health and hygiene problems arise CONCURRENTLY with an EVICTION, special benefits should not normally be paid, in view of existing legislative provisions that may permit reimbursement of the costs incurred in connection with this eviction, including moving costs. Assistance may be provided in the form of a loan, until the claimant brings action and obtains reimbursement of his or her moving costs.
HEATING SYSTEM
For the purposes of payment of the special benefit for INSTALLATION OR REPAIR of a HEATING SYSTEM, the system includes the heating device itself and its essential attachments. They include the chimney (where required), radiators, coils, power supply box (electric heating only) and the fuel tank.
The special benefit does not cover the purchase of a heating system or device (e.g. furnace or baseboard heater) but only the cost of INSTALLING the heating system or device. It must be installed by a licensed contractor.
Generally, the costs reimbursed are the LABOUR costs necessary to install a heating device or system when it is first acquired or replaced, during a change of heating systems (e.g. switch from oil to electric heat) or when a supplementary heating device (e.g. auxiliary heater) is installed.
The cost of REPAIRING a defective part is also covered, as is the cost of MAINTAINING the heating device and its attachments. Examples of repair and maintenance are cleaning the device, changing a filter or cleaning the chimney.