Funding & Financial Assistance for Home Accessibility
Start with federal tax credits, then check your provincial accessibility program before work begins. Many grants and rebates require written approval, an assessment and itemized quotes before installation.
Start here: the three most important rules
Most grant and rebate programs will not fund work started before written approval.
An OT, PT, physician or other approved professional may need to document the accessibility need.
Separate equipment, installation, options, electrical work and taxes.
Save the prescription, approval, contract, invoice and proof of payment for tax claims.
Federal help available across Canada
Home Accessibility Tax Credit
For the 2025 return, eligible homeowners may claim qualifying accessibility expenses for a senior age 65+ or a person eligible for the Disability Tax Credit. At the 15% federal rate for that return, the maximum non-refundable credit is $3,000.
Medical Expense Tax Credit
The CRA lists a power-operated guided chair used in a stairway, including installation, as an eligible medical expense when prescribed. The value of the credit depends on income, total expenses and who claims it.
Veterans Affairs Canada
Eligible Veterans may receive support for home adaptations or special equipment through VAC treatment and independence programs. An assessment and pre-authorization may be required.
Tax rules shown are for the 2025 federal return available in 2026. Rates and limits can change for later tax years. A non-refundable tax credit reduces tax otherwise payable; it is not an up-front grant.
| Can programs be combined? | General rule |
|---|---|
| HATC + Medical Expense Tax Credit | The same qualifying expense may be claimable under both federal credits when all requirements are met. |
| Grant/rebate + tax credit | You generally claim only the eligible amount you actually paid after non-tax government assistance. Confirm the current tax treatment. |
| Insurance/benefit + tax credit | Reimbursements usually reduce the expense available to claim. |
Provincial and territorial programs
Program budgets, income limits and intake status change. Open the official page and confirm approval before ordering equipment.
Ontario Up to $15,000
Home and Vehicle Modification Program (HVMP)
Ontario residents with a substantial mobility impairment expected to last at least one year may qualify for funding toward eligible home modifications. March of Dimes Canada administers the program for the province. The current home-modification lifetime maximum is $15,000. Funding is income-tested and applications are assessed against disability-related need and life-safety impact.
Also check: Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program generally funds listed medical equipment categories, but stair lifts are not a standard ADP benefit. WSIB or auto-insurance benefits may apply when the need results from a covered workplace or motor-vehicle injury.
British Columbia Up to $20,000
BC Rebate for Accessible Home Adaptations (BC RAHA)
Eligible low- and moderate-income households can receive up to $20,000 in rebates for approved adaptations. Homeowners and landlord/tenant applicants have separate requirements. Applications are first-come, first-served and renew April 1 while funding remains.
Do not begin work before written approval. Some adaptations require an OT/PT or medical-professional assessment.
Alberta Two programs
RAMP
The Residential Access Modification Program provides grants for eligible low-income Albertans with mobility challenges—up to $12,000 per person per benefit year and $24,000 within 10 years under current rules.
SHARP
The Seniors Home Adaptation and Repair Program offers eligible senior homeowners a home-equity loan of up to $40,000; stair lifts are listed among possible projects. Income, age, residence and home-equity rules apply. Lower-income seniors who cannot qualify for a loan may be considered for grant support for essential work.
Saskatchewan Home adaptation
The Saskatchewan Home Repair Program’s Adaptation for Independence stream may help eligible low-income homeowners or rental-property owners complete accessibility modifications. Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living covers certain approved disability equipment, but stair lifts are not automatically included in every benefit.
Manitoba Seniors program
The Manitoba Safe and Healthy Home for Seniors Program supports eligible home accessibility and safety upgrades and is delivered with March of Dimes Canada. Intake status and covered projects can change, so confirm current availability before obtaining work.
Quebec Intake reopened
Quebec’s Programme d’adaptation de domicile (PAD) supports eligible people with disabilities who need changes to enter, leave and use essential areas of their home. The province states that applications reopened on August 12, 2026. An assessment and the program’s authorized administration process apply.
New Brunswick Credits + repair help
The New Brunswick Seniors’ Home Renovation Tax Credit is a refundable provincial credit for eligible seniors and family members. Current rules allow 10% of up to $10,000 in qualifying annual expenses (maximum $1,000). Stair lifts can be eligible renovations when requirements are met.
The provincial Homeowner Repair Program may also provide a forgivable loan of up to $15,000 for accessible modifications for a person with a disability, or up to $7,000 for eligible low-income senior adaptations.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia offers several home-repair and accessibility programs through the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Available assistance depends on income, ownership/tenancy and the required adaptation. The Home Lift Program is for assessed mechanical lifting/transfer needs and is not the same as a stair-lift rebate.
Prince Edward Island
PEI’s Home Renovation Programs include assistance streams for seniors and people with disabilities. Funding, income thresholds and eligible work are set by the current program guidelines, and approval should be obtained before starting.
Newfoundland and Labrador
The Provincial Home Repair Program and Home Modification Program may assist eligible low-income homeowners or people with accessibility needs. Funding and forgivable-loan limits depend on the current program and location.
Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Northern housing corporations and health/social-service departments administer repair, accessibility and seniors programs. Availability differs by community, home tenure and whether the residence is public, private or on settlement land.
Other places to check
Private insurance
Extended health, disability, auto and workplace coverage may help when the need is tied to a covered condition or injury. Pre-authorization is often required.
Disease-specific charities
ALS, MS, spinal-cord-injury and other organizations may offer equipment loans, navigation help or small grants. Membership and financial-need rules vary.
Municipal and Indigenous programs
Local housing repair funds, community foundations and First Nations/Inuit housing programs may supplement federal or provincial support.
Application checklist
| Document | Why you may need it |
|---|---|
| Medical/functional assessment | Connects the requested modification to a documented mobility or safety need. |
| Proof of age, status and residence | Confirms basic program eligibility. |
| Income and asset documents | Many grants and rebates are means-tested. |
| Property ownership or landlord consent | Programs have separate homeowner and tenant rules. |
| Itemized contractor quotes | Shows equipment, labour, electrical work and taxes separately. |
| Written approval | Proves the work was authorized before installation. |
| Final invoice and proof of payment | Required for reimbursement and tax claims. |
Frequently asked questions
Will the government pay the full cost of a stair lift?
Sometimes, but many programs have maximums, income tests, co-payments or limited annual budgets. Tax credits reduce tax rather than paying the installer up front.
Can I install first and apply afterward?
Usually not for grants or rebates. Some tax credits and a few loan programs allow expenses already paid within defined periods, but do not rely on retroactive approval unless the official rules clearly permit it.
Do I need a doctor’s prescription?
The federal Medical Expense Tax Credit requires a prescription for a power-operated stairway chair. Grant programs may instead require an OT/PT or other approved assessment. The HATC has its own eligibility rules.
Can I claim both HATC and the medical expense credit?
The CRA permits the same expense to be claimed under both when it independently meets both sets of requirements. Assistance or reimbursements can reduce the amount you actually paid and may therefore reduce the claimable expense.
Compare stair-lift costs after funding
Once you know which programs may apply, compare written installed quotes for the same staircase and options.
Program information changes and is provided for general guidance. The official program administrator and CRA rules are the final authority.
