SECTION: Community Support Programs
POLICY NUMBER: 20251001EPSFN
APPROVED BY: Chief and Council
DATE APPROVED: October 29, 2029
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2025
REVIEW DATE: TBD
POLICY OWNER: Finance Department
VERSION: 1.0
This policy establishes a unified framework for delivering monthly cost of living subsidy to registered Saulteau First Nations (SFN) Citizens aged 65 and older through one program:
This program is intended to recognize, honour, and support SFN Elders of retirement age bu providing reliable, community-funded financial assistance for basic living needs; and is funded exclusively through the Nation's revenues which are administered on East Moberly Lake I.R. 169.
This policy applies to all citizens of Saulteau First Nations who have reached the age of 65, regardless of whether they reside on or off reserve. It includes other provisions for international recipients.
Saulteau First Nations shall provide a monthly retirement pension to eligible applicants as a gesture of community support. This pension is not a legal right or benefit guaranteed under federal, provincial, or treaty law, and is provided at the discretion of the Nation. Payments are made directly to the applicant and are not transferable to an estate or third party. Receiving payments does not impact eligibility for other programs or payment of future claim settlements.
To be eligible, an applicant must:
For clarity, applicants to turn 65 years of age mid-month may apply for and be eligible to receive payment for that month.
All eligible applicants must apply to the SFN Finance Department to initiate payments.
Applicants do not need to re-apply again in the future unless the fund is cancelled and later reinstated.
Payments will not be retroactively paid prior to month of application. Note: to support rollout of this policy, applications received prior to December 11, 2025 will be treated as-if received in October 2025. After time date no payments will be made retrospectively.
It is the applicant's responsibility to update SFN Finance with changes to address, bank account, or residency status.
Applications can be submitted in person, by mail, or through other approved means established by Finance.
Monthly payments begin in the month the application is processed and continue until end of program as per section 8.0.
Subsequent monthly payments will occur on the first day of the month, or closest banking day, for the month ahead.
Initially, payments are $500.00 CAD per month, subject to change at any time as per section 8.0.
Payments are subject to arrears holdback, including deductions for housing, or other debts owed to SFN, as per existing policies.
For applicants residing internationally, payments may be made quarterly rather than monthly at the discretion of Finance.
Finance reserves the right to withhold or delay payments in the event of incomplete or outdated information.
Payments requested via cheque are not guaranteed to be received on time.
This monthly subsidy is structured as a pension distribution under Section 87 of the Indian Act.
Payments are considered personal property situated on East Moberly Lake I.R. 169.
The subsidy is not a compensation, nor tied to services or employment.
No T4A or other CRA-reportable slips will be issued.
Applicant: Submit complete application, maintain up-to-date information with Finance, and notify SFN of changes in status.
Finance Department: Process applications, maintain records, issue payments, and ensure compliance with this policy.
Governance Department: Periodically review policy for effectiveness and alignment with community needs.
Chief and Council: Provide final approval for funding, policy revisions, or discontinuation of the program.
Eligibility for payments ends when the applicant passes away. No future payments will be made to an estate. Families should refer to the SFN Funeral Support policy for assistance.
Payment amount is subject to change based on available budget and Council discretion.
The program may be amended, suspended, resumed, or discontinued at any time at the discretion of Chief and Council.
This policy does not create a binding financial obligation or entitlement to any person or estate.
For clarity, each fiscal year Chief and Council must approve a budget for the year ahead, and that budget must include the retirement pension fund for payments to continue another fiscal year. The fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31 of the following year ahead. If there is a material change to the Nation's finances which may require amendment to the fund, it would be most likely reviewed and changed during this process.
Arrears Holdback: A deduction from the pension to recover outstanding debts owed to SFN.
International Applicant: An applicant who resides outside Canada.
All member registration requests will be reviewed by the Saulteau First Nation staff. Once you have been verified you will be emailed instructions on how to log in to the members' only area of the website.