On-reserve Income Assistance program
This program helps eligible on-reserve residents and Status Indians in Yukon:
- cover daily living costs
- access pre-employment supports
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About the program
This program is a last resort for eligible individuals and their families. They must be:
- ordinarily resident on reserve
or - Status Indians who live in Yukon
Income assistance includes funds for:
- basic needs, such as:
- food
- clothing
- rent
- utilities allowance
- disability income supports
- special needs, such as:
- essential household items
- personal incidentals
- doctor-recommended diets
- pre-employment and employment supports to help people become more self-sufficient, such as:
- life skills
- job training
- service delivery costs incurred by funding recipients that deliver the program, such as:
- salaries, wages and benefits
- training and professional development
- office supplies and equipment
If you have questions about this program, contact your regional office.
Recent budget investments in the program
Budget 2024 invested $927 million in the program over five years starting in 2024-25, and $169 million ongoing. This investment aims to address the urgent and essential needs of Income Assistance clients struggling to make ends meet, as well as expand programming to meet demand; continue the provision of case management and pre-employment supports; and implement income supports for eligible persons with disabilities aligned with those provided in all provinces and Yukon.
Who can apply
Funding is provided to:
- First Nations communities
- organizations
- other service providers
When funded, recipients are responsible for providing this program to eligible individuals. The program is available on reserves in all provinces and Yukon, and delivered in accordance with the income assistance rates and eligibility criteria of an individual’s province of residence or Yukon.
To be eligible for income assistance, an individual must:
- be ordinarily resident on-reserve or a Status Indian in the Yukon
- be eligible for basic or special financial assistance
- demonstrate financial need
This assessment covers:
- financial need
- employability
- family composition and age
Who qualifies as ordinarily resident on-reserve?
Ordinarily resident on reserve means that an individual lives on-reserve and does not maintain a primary residence off reserve, but may be temporarily off reserve for the purpose of seeking education or obtaining care or services not available on reserve.
Deadline
There's no deadline for this program. You can apply at any time.
How to apply
The application process depends on where you reside. To learn more, contact:
- your community's band office
or - ISC Regional offices
Program guidelines
To learn more about the program, refer to these updated guidelines, which came into effect on April 1, 2025: