CMHC Assistance Programs
You may be eligible for government assistance with the costs of some of the modifications to the stairway environment under the following programs.
HASI — Home Adaptations for Seniors Independence Program
This program helps homeowners and landlords pay for minor home adaptations to extend the time that low-income seniors can live in their own homes independently. Low-income eligible seniors with age related disabilities can obtain assistance in the form of a forgivable loan up to $3,500 (as of May, 2004) for minor adaptations that meet their needs.
RRAP — Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program
This program provides financial assistance for low income households to help bring substandard housing up to minimum health and safety levels, make homes physically barrier-free and accessible for persons with disabilities, and convert nonresidential properties into affordable rental housing.
RRAP-D — Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Persons with Disabilities
If your home requires extensive modifications, such as widening doorways and increasing space for wheelchair maneuvering, you may qualify for financial assistance under this program. RRAP-D offers financial assistance to homeowners and landlords to undertake accessibility work to modify dwellings occupied or intended for occupancy by low-income persons with disabilities.
* In some parts of the country, funding for these or similar programs is provided jointly by the government of Canada and the provincial or territorial government. In such cases, the provincial or territorial housing agency may be responsible for the delivery of these programs. Program variations may also exist in these jurisdictions.
Acknowledgments
CMHC thanks the following people for their valuable contribution to this publication:
Cassandra R. Linton, MSc, Senior Analyst, Trauma Clinical Registries of the Canadian Institute for Health Information
Dr. Donna Lockett, Community Health Research Unit, University of Ottawa, Ont
Dr Elaine M. Gallagher, RN, Professor, School of Nursing, University of Victoria, B.C.
Jake Pauls of Jake Pauls Consulting Services in Building Use and Safety, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.
Dr. Vicky Scott, RN, Senior Adviser on Falls Prevention, British Columbia Injury Prevention Unit and Ministry of Health Services.
