TORBAY, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador will send cheques of up to $500 to nearly every senior in the province next month — an affordability program that will skip applications and eligibility criteria to apply broad relief. The one-time cheque should land sometime in December, according to Finance Minister Craig Pardy, who announced the measure Monday morning in Torbay. His department estimates about 130,000 people will receive payments. “There’s a lot of people that are out there struggling in Newfoundland and Labrador,” Pardy told reporters. “I think it was quite obvious that seniors needed a boost.” A full payment of $500 will be sent to every senior who reported less than $75,000 in income last year, provided they were 65 years of age at the end of 2025. The payment scales down to $100 for a senior who earned $100,000, and no payments will be made for individuals who earned more. ‘A welcome change’ The funds will flow automatically without an application. Kimberly Leonard, CEO of Seniors NL, called the automatic rollout a welcome relief. Her information and referral group often aids seniors in accessing programs, and she said Monday that application processes can be onerous and deter seniors from getting aid. “If you qualify, you get it. It’s just as simple as that,” Leonard said. “This is a welcome change for seniors having to navigate through complicated applications.” “Application processes are very complicated. They ask for all kinds of information. You will need quotes if you’re getting any repairs done, and for these seniors — especially living in rural communities — this is very, very difficult.” The new measure also comes with some of the highest income thresholds for an initiative of its type in the province, Leonard said. Her organization has been asking provincial officials to broaden relief measures to capture higher earners. “Everything they need is expensive, a lot more expensive than it has been five years ago. So it’s making it harder for people to make ends meet,” Leonard said. “Even those who are lucky enough to have a pension or to have savings, they’re having to dip into them now because of the high cost of living.” Monday’s announcement is the third in a suite of affordability measures launched this fall by the province’s Progressive Conservative government. The province’s finances are being buoyed by high oil prices — leading to higher royalty revenue. Pardy committed that about 20 per cent of that new money will go toward easing a cost-of-living crunch. The other 80 per cent will be used to pay down provincial debt. Pardy and Premier Tony Wakeham have also announced rebates for oil heating bills, a temporary break on parts of gasoline taxes and a reduction in electricity bills. Members of the Torbay 50+ Active Group attended Monday’s policy unveiling. Cost-of-living concerns have been front of mind for the group. “One time, you’d see items in a grocery store go up by five cents, 10 cents. You don’t see that anymore. You see a dollar, you see $2,” said member Mariette Byrne.
