Financial Help

Empowering individuals to move toward financial stability and make informed decisions.

Providing one-on-one, confidential guidance, our programs cover all kinds of financial matters, from free tax filing to budgeting support and help accessing benefits.

Financial Programs

Find the Right Resources

Our financial empowerment team can help you identify financial resources and benefits you may qualify for, set personal goals and offer financial education to help you reach them.

There are many programs out there to help reduce costs, but it can feel overwhelming to navigate what’s available, and who’s eligible. Our staff are trained in comprehensive benefits screening to help people identify, and apply for, programs for which they may qualify.

We can help you:

Complete and understand forms
Set a budget
File your taxes, ensuring you can receive benefits such as the GST rebate, Ontario Trillium Benefit, Canada Carbon Rebate and Canada Child Benefit, if eligible
Contact the CRA, and support you through resolving any issues
Increase your financial literacy
Access life stabilization supports
Connect with Prince Edward-Lennox & Addington Social Services to apply for help with rent arrears through Ontario’s Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP), and support you through the application
Deal with bills and accounts that are past due
Find health and dental programs, and help you with paperwork
Apply for student loans and other benefits
Connect with community services
Get your birth certificate

Discover how we can support your financial health.

Get in touch today!

File Your Taxes

Free and confidential tax clinics, available year-round.

We offer year-round tax filing for Prince Edward County residents with modest incomes and simple returns (e.g. not self-employed). PELC tax clinics are part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, funded by the Canada Revenue Agency and United Way Hastings & Prince Edward. If you are behind on your taxes, don’t worry! We can help you get caught up with multi-year returns (up to 10 years). Our staff and volunteers can also coach you through filing your own tax return, and help identify benefits and programs you may be eligible for.

Over the past decade, our tax clinics have helped put $10 million back in the pockets of Prince Edward County residents, through tax refunds and accessing benefits.

Schedule your free tax filing appointment.

Get Started

Are You Getting All Your Benefits?

We can help you identify, and apply for, money-saving benefits

Our staff can help you determine your eligibility for benefits that help with energy costs, and support you through the application process. We can also help you apply for:

Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)
Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
Rainy Day Fund
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
Employment Insurance (EI)
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
Ontario’s Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) to help with rent arrears (through Prince Edward-Lennox & Addington Social Services)

Each organization makes the final decisions about eligibility. We will work with you to determine what types of resources or support you may need. Then we can help navigate community resources and organizations that can provide assistance.

Find Out More

Build Your Knowledge

Free financial literacy workshops to build your skills and protect yourself from scams and debt pitfalls.

Responding to community needs, our financial empowerment team delivers free financial literacy workshops. Past workshops include:

Managing Expenses and Debt
Managing Savings
Scams and Fraud
Smart Finances
Build Your Knowledge at the Right Time
Supported Self-Filing for Taxes

WORDS FROM THOSE WE’VE HELPED

“I’m grateful there are places like PELC to help people to make ends meet, with everything costing more — except your paycheck doesn’t go up. PELC helps you find what programs are out there and what’s applicable to you. Otherwise, how would we know?”

— John Rickard

Get empowered! Explore your financial options.