Every host organization uses income ceilings or thresholds to identify the clients it wishes to serve.  In doing this, many host organizations make use of the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) suggested income ceilings.  The implicit assumption is that by using these, the host organization will be targeting those most in need of this free service.  But just how good are the CRA’s suggested income ceilings for this purpose? 

In 2020, I wrote about this issue here.  At that time, I concluded that “Everywhere in Canada, with the exception of the large urban centres, the income ceilings in the CVITP guidelines are above the official poverty line.  As this is a free service being offered to low-income individuals, the income ceilings in the CVITP guidelines should be aligned more closely with the official poverty lines.  In those regions where host organizations are easily able to meet the demand for free CVITP services, there is no concern.  But in those regions where host organizations are unable to meet the demand and must ration CVITP services, host organizations may wish to consider being less generous with the income ceilings they use to define individuals’ and families’ eligibility for their CVITP services.”

Since then, the CRA has not revised its suggested income ceilings.  But inflation has led to successive increases in the official poverty lines across Canada.

I showed that in 2024, at best only 27% of those living in poverty accessed CVITP services.  I showed that in 2023, access by those living in poverty to free CVITP services ranged from a high of 34.3% in New Brunswick to a low of 14% in Ontario.  So, there are unlikely to be any regions in Canada where host organizations are easily able to meet the need if not the demand for these services.

This means that all host organizations should be attentive to the income ceilings they use to identify clients who are living in poverty.  But are the CRA’s current ceilings still the best income criteria to use for selecting those most in need of free CVITP services?  This article explores this question and provides an answer.