Now You Can Donate to AHS Online!

Your contribution is essential to our community outreach program. Donations will assist us in renovation projects and community support programs for disabled people.

AHS has chosen CanadaHelps.org to process its online donations. CanadaHelps is fast, safe, and secure for you, and an easy way for you to donate online. Just click on one of the buttons below to contribute. You will get an instant email receipt for your donation to use for your taxes! The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has approved the use of secure Adobe PDF e-receipts for tax purposes.

RRAP and HASI Funding Enhancements

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) delivers several housing programs across Canada, two of which are accessed frequently by clients of our Residential Assessment and Design service: Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) for Persons with Disabilities and Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence (HASI).

RRAP for Persons with Disabilities provides financial assistance to homeowners and landlords for home modifications that improve accessibility for low income persons with disabilities. HASI provides financial assistance to homeowners and landlords for minor home modifications that extend the time a low-income senior can live independently in the home.

CMHC has recently enhanced several of its programs. Enhancements for RRAP for Persons with Disabilities and HASI are listed below. For more information on these or other CMHC programs, call CMHC at 515-3000 (Calgary) or go to www.cmhc.ca.

RRAP for Persons with Disabilities:

The following information is for southern areas of Canada only.

Homeowners were previously eligible for up to $12,000. This has been increased to $16,000.

Landlords were previously eligible for up to $18,000. This has been increased to $24,000. Landlords of rooming houses, which are a minimum of 4 bed units, are eligible for up to $16,000 per bed unit.

Repayable loans for homeowners have been eliminated. Previously, a sliding scale was used to determine the amount the client was required to pay back. Now, 100% of the borrowed amount is forgivable. The loan is forgiven over a period of time, which varies according to the amount borrowed and whether it is for a homeowner or landlord. The loan does not have to be repaid provided the terms and conditions of the program are met.

HASI:

The maximum assistance available has been increased from $2500 to $3500.

Additional programs through other sources that provide financial assistance for improving accessibility in the home include:

Residential Access Modification Program (RAMP): Grant up to $5000 through Alberta Seniors. Phone 310-0000, then enter (780) 427-5760.

Easter Seal Ability Council: Considers equipment only (i.e. porch lifts). Funding of last resort. Phone (403) 235-5662.

For more information on eligibility requirements for any of the above programs, call the individual program or Accessible Housing Society at 282-1872.

Private Care Home Guide

With the assistance of a grant from the Calgary Community Lottery Board and input from the Calgary Health Region, AHS has been able to develop a guide for those interested in creating new private care homes that provide accommodation, board and care in a residential setting. The guide outlines the regulations that apply and the critical steps involved. It also addresses some of the costs that could be encountered, and provides recommendations on providing wheelchair access. This guide is available via the link above in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, or you can obtain a copy on request from AHS.