In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Canada provided a One-time payment for seniors that included $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension, and an additional $200 for seniors entitled to the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), for a total of $500. Individuals aged 60 to 64 who are eligible for the Allowance (ALW) or the Allowance for the Survivor (ALWS) also received a payment of $500. A total of 6.67 million seniors received the One-time payment for seniors; 4.40 million seniors received a payment of $300 and 2.27 million seniors received a payment of $500.
All individuals who were eligible for OAS program benefits as of June 2020 received the payment during the week of July 6, 2020. A second wave of payments was made on September 30, 2020 to those found eligible retroactively. The payment was made via direct deposit or cheque.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has compiled data on various characteristics related to individuals who received the One-time tax-free payment for seniors. These include the payment amount ($300 or $500), province or territory of residence, gender, age, and marital status. Marital status is only available for recipients of a $500 payment.