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ODSP

Eligibility

Age requirement

To receive ODSP you must be above the age of 18. If you are about to turn 18, there must be no more than six months between the day you start your application and the day you turn 18.

Financial requirements

To be eligible to receive ODSP, you must meet the financial requirements. This will involve assessing your income, assets, current living expenses, and if you have any additional family members.

Income

Income can come from a variety of sources. You must report all types of income. Some sources of income include:

  • Employment
  • Tax benefits
  • Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or Québec Pension Plan (QPP) benefits
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits
  • Profit from a farm or business, including self-employment
  • Spousal support
  • Sponsorship support
  • Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement (GAINS)
  • Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
  • Employment Insurance (EI)
  • Other government programs
  • Loans

Exempt Income

Some types of income do not impact your eligibility towards receiving ODSP. These types of income are called Exempt Income. Even if they will not impact your eligibility to receive ODSP, you still need to report all types of income. Exempt Income includes:

  • Child support
  • Certain federal tax benefits, like the Canada Child Tax Benefit
  • Certain provincial tax benefits, like the Ontario Child Benefit
  • Payments from a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
  • Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loans and grants used for education costs

Assets

In addition to reporting all forms of income you receive, you must report all forms of assets you own. Generally, you can have up to $40,000 is assets, not including Exempt Assets. However, there are some circumstances where you can get approval to save money and/or assets above the general limit. One example is if you are saving for an item that would support your health or disability. If you are in this situation, you can discuss your options with your ODSP caseworker.

Assets can include things such as:

  • Cash
  • Money you have in bank accounts
  • Stocks and bonds
  • Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP)
  • Vehicles
  • Property (for example, land or a house)
  • Trust funds

Exempt Assets

Specific types of assets will not impact your ability to receive ODSP. These assets are called Exempt Assets. Even if they will not impact your eligibility to receive ODSP, you still need to report all assets.

Exempt Assets include things such as:

  • The home you own and live in
  • Your primary vehicle (the one you use the most, if you have more than one)
  • Trust funds derived from an inheritance or life insurance policy, up to allowable limits
  • The cash surrender value of life insurance policies, up to allowable limits
  • Pre-paid funerals
  • Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP)
  • Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSP)
  • Necessary household and personal items, such as furniture and clothing

Gifts and Voluntary Payments

Each year, you can receive up to $10,000 in gifts and voluntary payments without it impacting your eligibility to receive ODSP.

Gifts and voluntary payments include money received through:

  • Gifts
  • Payments from trusts
  • Payments from life insurance
  • Inheritances
  • Honorariums
  • Windfalls, such as lottery winnings

Other Financial Exemptions

Some specific types of income and assets can be exempt from impacting your eligibility to receive ODSP. This includes:

  • Up to $100,000 of the cash surrender value of a life insurance policy. A cash surrender value is the money the insurance company pays you if your policy is terminated or cancelled early.
  • Dividends or interest earned on a life insurance policy that are reinvested into the policy
  • Money held in a trust for you or your family member.

Determining whether these types of income and assets will be impact your eligibility to receive ODSP can be complicated and often depends on other sources of income or assets you have. You should discuss all types of income or assets with your ODSP caseworker to ensure you are still eligible to receive ODSP.

Medical Eligibility

In order to be eligible to receive ODSP, you must qualify as a person with a disability. To qualify as a person with a disability, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You have a substantial mental and/or physical impairment that is continuous or recurrent
  • Your impairment must be expected to last one year or more
  • Your impairment results in a substantial restriction in your ability to work, care for yourself, or take part in community life
  • Your impairment, the duration of your impairment, and the restrictions due to your impairment must be verified by an approved health care professional

Ability to work

If you qualify as a person with a disability, you will not be required to look for work while receiving ODSP if your disability prevents you from being able to find and keep employment. You will be required to find other sources of income and apply for any sources you are eligible for. This includes:

  • The Ontario Child Benefit
  • Support from a sponsor or co-signer
  • Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • Worker Safety and Insurance Benefits (WSIB)

Adult Family Members’ Work Requirements

If you have adult family members who are living with you, they will be required to participate in activities that will prepare them to find employment. Employment services can assist your family member(s) find appropriate programs to prepare to find a job or to find a job with the skills they currently have. This could include:

  • Placing your family member(s) in a paid job
  • Working with your family member(s) and their current employer to make sure their current job is a good fit
  • Helping your family member(s) resolve any problems or conflict they have with their employer or co-worker
  • Helping your family member(s) become self-employed

Reporting Income

If you or your member(s) are working, you will need to report the amount you earn each month. You can do this by:

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