Quebec Shelter Allowance 2026: How Much Can You Get?
In Quebec, for the period from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, the shelter allowance can pay up to $170 a month, or $2,040 a year, to low-income households that spend at least 30% of their 2025 family income on housing. The amount is $100, $150 or $170 a month, depending on the share of income taken up by housing costs.
Check your rent and pay first: compare your current rent with our Quebec rent increase calculator (TAL) and estimate your net income with our Quebec pay calculator. Those two figures — housing cost and 2025 family income — decide whether you qualify.
The program is administered by Revenu Québec and funded with the Société d'habitation du Québec and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It is aimed at people and families who pay too much to be housed, whether they rent, rent a room or own their home. Applications for 2026-2027 are already open, and an application filed after October 1 is still retroactive to October 1, 2026.
Who qualifies for the Quebec shelter allowance in 2026-2027?
You may qualify if you live in Quebec, filed your 2025 Quebec income tax return, and fit one of the listed family situations: a single person aged 50 or older, a couple without children where at least one person is 50 or older, or a household with at least one dependent child.
All of the following conditions must be met at the same time:
- You live in Quebec and you were not tax-exempt for 2025.
- You or your spouse have at least one dependent child, or will be 50 or older by September 30, 2027.
- You own the home you live in, rent an eligible dwelling, or live with someone to whom you pay rent.
- On December 31, 2025, your bank accounts, TFSAs and investments, combined with your spouse's if applicable, totalled no more than $50,000. FHSAs and registered plans such as RRSPs, RDSPs, LIRAs and RRIFs are excluded from that limit.
- You spend at least 30% of your 2025 family income on housing.
- Your 2025 family income is below the maximum for your situation.
Watch for the most common trap: a single person under 50 with no dependent child does not qualify, even with very high rent. On the other hand, a homeowner can qualify: this is not a renters-only benefit.
How much can you receive each month in 2026-2027?
The unreduced amount depends only on the share of your 2025 family income spent on housing: from 30% to 49%, you receive $100 a month; from 50% to 79%, $150 a month; at 80% or more, $170 a month, the program maximum for 2026-2027.
| Share of family income spent on housing | Amount per month | Amount per year |
|---|---|---|
| 30% to 49% | $100 | $1,200 |
| 50% to 79% | $150 | $1,800 |
| 80% or more | $170 | $2,040 |
If your income is above the threshold for the unreduced amount, the benefit is not cut off at once: it is reduced by $1 for every dollar of income above that threshold. That is why two households with the same rent can receive different amounts. Payments, by direct deposit or cheque, vary in frequency depending on the amount granted, and no payment is made if the amount is under $2.
What are the maximum income limits for 2025?
To receive the unreduced amount, your 2025 family income must not exceed the limit for your situation: $23,600 for a single person aged 50 or older, $33,100 for a couple without children where at least one person is 50 or older, and $40,600 for a couple with one child or a single-parent family with one or two children.
| Family situation | Maximum income, unreduced (2025) | Maximum income, reduced amount at 80% or more |
|---|---|---|
| Single person aged 50 or older | $23,600 | $25,640 |
| Couple without children, at least one person 50 or older | $33,100 | $35,140 |
| Couple with one dependent child | $40,600 | $42,640 |
| Single-parent family with one or two children | $40,600 | $42,640 |
| Couple with two or more children | $46,800 | $48,840 |
| Single-parent family with three or more children | $46,800 | $48,840 |
If your income equals or exceeds the limit in the “80% or more” column for your situation, you do not qualify. If it falls between the unreduced threshold and that ceiling, apply anyway: Revenu Québec will calculate your reduced amount. Do not rule yourself out based on a single number.
How do you calculate the share of your income spent on housing?
The percentage is calculated as follows: the annual cost of your housing divided by your 2025 family income, multiplied by 100. For a tenant, the annual cost includes the yearly rent, plus a fixed $1,340 for electricity and heating if they are not included, plus $445 for home insurance, minus amounts paid by people who share the cost with you.
For a homeowner, the calculation is different: 2025 municipal and school taxes, 2025 mortgage interest, and a fixed $6,139 for electricity, heating, maintenance and home insurance. For a rented room, the fixed amounts are lower: $670 for electricity and heating and $148 for insurance.
Worked example: a 52-year-old living alone in Montreal
Take a single person aged 52, with 2025 family income of $23,000, paying $850 a month in rent, with heating and electricity not included.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rent | $850 x 12 | $10,200 |
| Electricity and heating (fixed amount) | flat amount | + $1,340 |
| Home insurance (fixed amount) | flat amount | + $445 |
| Annual housing cost | total | $11,985 |
| Share of income | $11,985 ÷ $23,000 | 52.1% |
Result: 52.1% puts this person in the 50% to 79% bracket. Their $23,000 income is below the $23,600 unreduced threshold for a single person aged 50 or older. They therefore receive $150 a month, or $1,800 for the 2026-2027 year. This is our own worked example: it shows that neither rent nor income alone decides the result, but the ratio between the two, using the program's fixed amounts.
A reduced-amount case: a couple with one child, income of $41,500 and a housing share of 55%, would exceed the $40,600 unreduced threshold by $900. Their base benefit of $1,800 would be reduced by $900, to $900 for the year. That is also why it is worth checking your rent with the guide on rent increases and the TAL before signing a renewal.
How do you apply for 2026-2027?
You apply online in My Account for individuals on the Revenu Québec website, or with the shelter allowance program form. In the same online account, you can check the status of your application, the date and amount of your last payment, and your notices of determination.
Apply even if it is already after October 1, 2026: for an application filed no later than September 30, 2027, the first payment is retroactive to October 1, 2026. You do not lose the months that have already passed, but you and your spouse, if applicable, must have filed a 2025 Quebec tax return if you lived in Quebec on December 31, 2025. Sign up for direct deposit to receive the money faster than by cheque.
Afterwards, report any major change in your situation during the year to Revenu Québec, since it can affect your eligibility or your amount. Keep your lease, tax bills or mortgage interest statements: they support the annual cost of your housing.
Frequently asked questions
Who can receive the Quebec shelter allowance in 2026-2027?
Low-income households that live in Quebec, filed their 2025 Quebec tax return, spend at least 30% of their 2025 family income on housing, and fit a listed situation: a single person aged 50 or older, a couple without children where at least one person is 50 or older, or a household with at least one dependent child. Tenants, room renters and homeowners can all qualify.
How much does the shelter allowance pay per month at most?
For the period from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, the maximum is $170 a month, or $2,040 a year, when at least 80% of family income goes to housing. The other brackets are $100 a month from 30% to 49% and $150 a month from 50% to 79%, before any income-based reduction.
Can a homeowner receive the shelter allowance?
Yes. The program is not only for tenants. A homeowner who lives in the home can qualify if all conditions are met. Their annual housing cost is then calculated using municipal and school taxes, 2025 mortgage interest, and a fixed $6,139 for electricity, heating, maintenance and home insurance.
What income must you stay below to get the shelter allowance?
It depends on your situation and on the share of income spent on housing. For the unreduced amount, 2025 family income limits include $23,600 for a single person aged 50 or older and $40,600 for a couple with one child. Above those limits, a reduced amount may still be available up to a higher ceiling for each situation.
Does the $50,000 savings limit block my application?
On December 31, 2025, your bank accounts, TFSAs and investments, combined with your spouse's if applicable, must not have exceeded $50,000. FHSAs and registered plans such as RRSPs, RDSPs, LIRAs and RRIFs do not count toward that limit. What matters is your situation on December 31, 2025, not when you read this article.
Is it too late to apply after October 1, 2026?
No. For 2026-2027, an application filed after October 1, 2026, and no later than September 30, 2027, produces a first payment that is retroactive to October 1, 2026. You recover the amounts for the months already passed since the start of the period, provided you meet all conditions and filed your 2025 tax return.
How do I apply for the shelter allowance?
Apply online in My Account for individuals on the Revenu Québec website, or with the shelter allowance program form. In My Account, you can also track your application and view your notices of determination. Signing up for direct deposit, with form LM-3 if needed, gets payments to you faster than a cheque.