Funding & Financial Assistance
We have provided you with the following categories to help you search for funding resources across the province. We have assembled what we believe is a good place to start in your search. We have tried to include the basics, who the program is for, and how you might qualify and apply.
If you are unable to find the information you are looking for, please call our office 416 244 9686 or toll free 1 877 244 9686.
Children and Families Extension 224
Adults Extension 236
Assistive Devices - Funding Organizations, Used Equipment Sale/Exchange
Camps & Activities
Vehicle Modifications
Respite
Home Modifications
Therapy
Assistive Devices - Funding Organizations
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care – Assistive Devices Program (ADP)
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/adp/
Devices covered by the program are intended to enable people with physical disabilities to increase their independence through access to assistive devices responsive to their individual needs.
ADP covers over 8,000 separate pieces of equipment or supplies in the following categories : prostheses; wheelchairs/mobility aids and specialized seating systems; enteral feeding supplies; monitors and test strips for insulin-dependent diabetics (through an agreement with the Canadian Diabetes Association); hearing aids; insulin pumps and supplies for children; respiratory equipment; orthoses (braces, garments and pumps); visual and communication aids; oxygen and oxygen delivery equipment, such as concentrators, cylinders, liquid systems and related supplies, such as masks and tubing.
Grants are provided for ostomy supplies, breast prostheses and for needles and syringes for insulin-dependent seniors.
March of Dimes (MOD) – Assistive Devices Program
https://www.marchofdimes.ca/EN/programs/adp/Pages/Adp.aspx
March of Dimes Canada Assistive Devices Program assists adults with physical disabilities who are in financial need to purchase assistive devices that increase their mobility and functional independence. The Program can help to buy, repair and maintain a wide variety of mobility or assistive equipment.
Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy (OFCP) - Assistive Devices Funding Program (ADFP)
http://ofcp.ca/programs/funding/assisted-devices/
The OFCP offers funding assistance grants to children and adults who are Individual Lifetime Members of the OFCP and who have cerebral palsy. The Program enables Lifetime Members of the OFCP to access life-changing assistive devices and equipment such as mobility aids, communication aids and home accessibility aids.
Easter Seals Ontario - Assistive Device Equipment
http://www.easterseals.org/services/direct-financial-assistance/
Easter Seals provides financial assistance for items such as accessibility aids, mobility aids, orthotics and communication and writing aids, etc. The applicant must be a registered client of Easter Seals Ontario, under the age of 19 years and have a valid Ontario Health Card.
Ceridian Cares
http://www.ceridiancares.ca/
Provide grants for the following types of needs:
- Clothing & Footwear: Winter clothing, boots, children's clothing, work clothing;
- Food & Basic Household Needs: Food, blankets, mattresses, cookware/dishes, small appliances, towels, diapers, cribs, personal hygiene;
- Medical Devices & Therapies: Prosthetics, eyewear, medical equipment, special therapies, home adjustments for barrier free living, respite services, braille books, counseling services, physiotherapy;
- Personal Development & Recreation: Children's programs, camp, art supplies, books, athletic programs
Smile Canada Support Services
Assistive Devices - Used Equipment Sale/Exchange
QuipIt
Quipit is a social enterprise managed by Independent Living Service of Simcoe County and Area.
Quipit is a free online classified website created to buy, sell, or give away gently used equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, and bathroom safety devices.
ZachsList
ZachsList is a Pediatric Equipment Exchange website created so that families with special needs children would have a place where they could go to trade equipment and share advice and experiences regarding equipment. ZachsList is a not-for-profit service offered to its members. It is a free service - there is no fee for membership, and no fee for posting ads or purchasing items.
Spinal Cord Injury Ontario
https://sciontario.org/support-services/resources/marketplace/
Marketplace is an online space where you can buy, sell and share items of interest to the community throughout Ontario.
Silver Cross
Silver Cross can provide you with information, and may even be able to help you locate recycled equipment when available – items such as stair lifts, wheelchair lifts, home elevators, ceiling lifts, power wheelchairs and bath lifts.
Contact their general toll free number 1-844-352-7677 to find a location in your area or email https://silvercross.com/contact-silver-cross/ to receive information specific to your needs.
Camps & Activities
Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy - Life Enriching Activity Fund (LEAF)
http://ofcp.ca/programs/funding/leaf/
The Life Enriching Activity Fund is a new opportunity for members to access financial assistance to enrich, enhance or augment an activity the member currently participates in or is interested in.
Easter Seals Ontario – Camps
http://www.easterseals.org/services/direct-financial-assistance/
The applicant must be a registered client of Easter Seals Ontario, under the age of 19 years and have a valid Ontario Health Card.
Camps - Family or Residential or Recreational Choices Funding Program
Ceridian Cares
http://www.ceridiancares.ca/
Personal Development & Recreation: Children's programs, camp, art supplies, books, athletic programs
Vehicle Modifications
March of Dimes (MOD) – Home and Vehicle Modification Program
https://www.marchofdimes.ca/EN/programs/hvmp/Pages/HomeandVehicle.aspx
Established by the Government of Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services in 1999 and is administered by March of Dimes Canada.
Up to $15,000 every ten years for vehicle modifications
The Home and Vehicle Modifications Program provides home or vehicle modifications to eligible individuals and families to enable children and adults with disabilities that restrict mobility to continue living safely in their homes, avoid job loss and participate in their communities.
Easter Seals Ontario
http://www.easterseals.org/services/direct-financial-assistance/
Van lift funding: Easter Seals Ontario will not consider funding for a lift if the vehicle is over 5 years old.
If you are accessing additional funding from March of Dimes Home and Vehicle Modification Program at 1.877.369.4867, the process is: Apply to the Home and Vehicle Program first. The Home and Vehicle Program will contact you to confirm you are eligible to proceed to the second stage. Once you are proceeding to the second stage, apply for Easter Seals funding. Easter Seals Financial Assistance Coordinator will contact you to discuss the funding process, as the van lift applications will not be reviewed until the confirmation of other funding has been received.
Respite
Ministry of Children and Youth Services - Special Services at Home (SSAH)
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/specialneeds/specialservices/index.aspx
Children with a developmental or physical disability (or their families) can apply for this money if they:
- live in Ontario
- need more support than most families can provide
- are living at home with their family, or
- if they are not living at home with their family and are not being helped by other residential services
Ministry of Children and Youth Services - Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities
http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/specialneeds/disabilities/index.aspx
The Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities Program helps parents with some of the extra costs of caring for a child who has a severe disability. Some of the items considered for funding are travel to doctors and hospitals, special shoes and clothes, parental relief, dental care, prescription drugs and eyeglasses.
Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity
http://jenash.org/get-help-now/
JACC helps seriously ill children, 18 years or younger, and their families with funding for hospital and household costs, specialized care, medical treatments and therapies, respite care, doctor recommended special formula, prescription medication, etc.
Ceridian Cares
http://www.ceridiancares.ca/
Provides grants for the following types of needs:
- Clothing & Footwear: Winter clothing, boots, children's clothing, work clothing;
- Food & Basic Household Needs: Food, blankets, mattresses, cookware/dishes, small appliances, towels, diapers, cribs, personal hygiene;
- Medical Devices & Therapies: Prosthetics, eyewear, medical equipment, special therapies, home adjustments for barrier free living, respite services, braille books, counseling services, physiotherapy;
- Personal Development & Recreation: Children's programs, camp, art supplies, books, athletic programs
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – Respite Care program
https://www.ontario.ca/page/respite-care
If you are a caregiver for someone with a health condition, disability or care needs associated with aging, you can take a break, with the help of Respite Care coordinated through a local LHIN office. As a caregiver, you need a break from time to time. We can help you by providing relief caregiving while you’re away. This is called respite care. The person you care for can receive care: at home, during a short stay at a long-term care home, or at an adult day program.
Respite Services.com
respiteservices.com connects agencies funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Their aim is to We are collaborating to collaborate and develop a more dynamic respite network for both children and adults in Toronto. Respite care provides a short planned break from the physical and emotional demands involved in caring for a family member who has a disability. Respite creates greater opportunities for all family members to live actively and participate in community activities and allows parents/guardians time for themselves.
Ministry of Community and Social Services – Developmental Services Ontario: Passport Program
https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/developmental/servicesupport/passport.aspx
Passport is a program that helps adults 18 years or older with a developmental disability to participate in their communities. It also helps caregivers of an adult with a developmental disability take a break from their caregiving responsibilities. Passport provides funding for services and supports so adults with a developmental disability can:
- take part in community classes or recreational programs
- develop work, volunteer, and daily life skills
- hire a support worker
- create their own life plans (this is called person-directed planning) to reach their goals
- get temporary respite for their caregivers
Home Modifications
March of Dimes – Home and Vehicle Modification Program
www.marchofdimes.ca/EN/programs/hvmp/Pages/HomeandVehicle.aspx
Up to $15,000 every ten years for vehicle modifications. The Home and Vehicle Modifications Program provides home or vehicle modifications to eligible individuals and families to enable children and adults with disabilities that restrict mobility to continue living safely in their homes, avoid job loss and participate in their communities.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Ontario Renovates Program
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/fuafho/iah/afhopracca/afhopracca_009.cfm
Forgivable loans to homeowners and landlords for major repairs, to add habitable living space to remediate overcrowding, for accessibility modifications, to create secondary/garden suites or repair and rehabilitate shelter units that assist victims of family violence. This program serves: Homeowners; Renters; Seniors; Persons with disabilities; Victims of family violence
Modifications to increase accessibility related to housing including ramps - handrails - chair and bath lifts - height adjustments to countertops - cues for doorbells/fire alarms, creation of self-contained secondary suites for seniors and/or persons with disabilities.
Ceridian Cares
http://www.ceridiancares.ca/
Provides grants for the following types of needs:
- Clothing & Footwear: Winter clothing, boots, children's clothing, work clothing;
- Food & Basic Household Needs: Food, blankets, mattresses, cookware/dishes, small appliances, towels, diapers, cribs, personal hygiene;
- Medical Devices & Therapies: Prosthetics, eyewear, medical equipment, special therapies, home adjustments for barrier free living, respite services, braille books, counseling services, physiotherapy;
- Personal Development & Recreation: Children's programs, camp, art supplies, books, athletic programs
Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit
https://www.ontario.ca/page/healthy-homes-renovation-tax-credit
The Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit is a permanent, refundable personal income tax credit for seniors and family members who live with them. If you qualify, you can claim up to $10,000 worth of eligible home improvements on your tax return.
Therapy
Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity
http://jenash.org/get-help-now/
JACC helps seriously ill children, 18 years or younger, and their families with funding for hospital and household costs, specialized care, medical treatments and therapies, respite care, doctor recommended special formula, prescription medication, etc.
Ceridian Cares
http://www.ceridiancares.ca/
Provides grants for the following types of needs:
- Clothing & Footwear: Winter clothing, boots, children's clothing, work clothing;
- Food & Basic Household Needs: Food, blankets, mattresses, cookware/dishes, small appliances, towels, diapers, cribs, personal hygiene;
- Medical Devices & Therapies: Prosthetics, eyewear, medical equipment, special therapies, home adjustments for barrier free living, respite services, braille books, counseling services, physiotherapy;
- Personal Development & Recreation: Children's programs, camp, art supplies, books, athletic programs
Ministry of Health – Physiotherapy Clinics
https://www.ontario.ca/page/physiotherapy-clinics-ohip-funded
OHIP-funded physiotherapy clinics provide assessment and treatment services, including rehabilitation following an injury or hospital stay. If you are eligible, a registered physiotherapist will meet with you one-on-one to determine the best treatment plan for you and supervise the physiotherapy process.
Who is Eligible:
- seniors 65 years and older
- 19 years and under
- any age after an overnight hospital stay for a condition requiring physiotherapy
- a recipient of the Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program