6.4 Board and lodging
October 2018
Legislative authority
Sections 5 and 7 of the Act.
Section 44(1) of Regulation 134/98.
Audit requirements
Adequate documentation is on file to support the level of board and lodging issued.
There is no duplication in the issuance of assistance, and calculations are fair and consistent.
Application of policy
A board and lodging situation is one in which a recipient and the members of his/her benefit unit receive food and shelter from the same source, but does not include a place that has been approved as an emergency shelter.
When it is unclear if an applicant or recipient is living in a rental or board and lodging situation, their food preparation practices are reviewed. If the applicant or recipient purchases and prepares their own food, then he/she is considered a renter (see Directive 6.3: Shelter for more information). If the landlord purchases and prepares the food, the applicant or recipient is considered a boarder, and a board and lodging allowance is provided.
Assistance for an applicant or recipient in a board and lodging situation is calculated based on the actual boarding and lodging cost up to the maximum, in accordance with the following table:
| Dependants other than a spouse | Dependants 18 years or older | Dependants 0-17 years | Recipient | Recipient and spouse |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | $533 | $688 |
| 1 | 0 1 | 1 0 | 664 752 | 752 790 |
| 2 | 0 1 2 | 2 1 0 | 737 825 873 | 813 851 887 |
| 3 | 0 1 2 3 | 3 2 1 0 | 806 894 942 980 | 874 912 948 984 |
For each additional dependant of a sole support parent:
add $120 if the dependant is 18 years of age or older
add $69 if the dependant is 0 - 17 years of age
Otherwise, for each additional dependant:
add $100 if the dependant is 18 years of age or older
add $61 if the dependant is 0 - 17 years of age
Remote communities allowance
If the applicant or recipient resides north of the 50th parallel and is without year round road access, an additional amount is provided in accordance with the following table:
| Number of dependants other than a spouse | Recipient | Recipient and spouse |
| 0 | $272 | $403 |
| 1 | 420 | 485 |
| 2 | 511 | 578 |
| 3 | 605 | 672 |
For each additional dependant, add $99.
Special Boarder Allowance
A Special Boarder Allowance of $71 is paid to each benefit unit in a board and lodging situation.
Examples
- A single individual pays $392 board and lodging. Assistance is calculated as follows:
$392 - Board and lodging
$ 71 - Special Boarder Allowance
$463 - Total assistance
- A single individual pays $400 board and lodging. Assistance is calculated as follows:
$400 - Board and lodging
$ 71 - Special Boarder Allowance
$471 - Total assistance - A couple with one ten-year-old child living north of the 50th parallel pays $652 board and lodging. Assistance is calculated as follows:
$ 652 - Board and lodging
$ 485 - Remote Communities Allowance
$ 71 - Special Boarder Allowance
$1208 - Total assistance
Advanced Age Allowance
Each member of the benefit unit who is 65 years of age or older receives an Advanced Age Allowance of $44 per month.
Shared custody
There are specific calculation rules for applicants and recipients who share custody of their dependent children (see Directive 3.9: Dependent children for more information).
Other amounts
Where applicable, additional amounts may be provided to:
- member(s) of a benefit unit who are pregnant/breast-feeding may receive an additional amount to assist with nutritional needs (see Directive 6.5: Pregnancy/Breast-feeding Nutritional Allowance for more information)
- member(s) of a benefit unit who require a special diet as a result of a medical condition (see Directive 6.6: Special Diet Allowance for more information)