- A recipient contacts the ServiceOntario Information Centre to advise of a move to a different Service Manager area (this may affect AMR and therefore the monthly benefit received).
- A recipient contacts the ServiceOntario Information Centre to advise of a permanent change to household composition.
- A recipient contacts the ServiceOntario Information Centre to advise that they have started or stopped receiving assistance under the Ontario Works Act, 1997 or the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997.
- A recipient who is receiving social assistance contacts the ServiceOntario Information Centre to advise of a change (increase or decrease) in shelter costs.
- A Service Manager or recipient advises the ServiceOntario Information Centre that they have ceased to be eligible on certain grounds for continued eligibility (e.g., the recipient is receiving another government-funded housing benefit).
When performing an in-year review, MOF will request the necessary information from the recipient to reassess eligibility and/or recalculate the monthly benefit, as appropriate.
Where an in-year reassessment results in a change in a COHB benefit amount, the change will be processed at the time of the in-year reassessment.
As noted, recipients may request only one in-year reassessment between annual renewals due to a significant decrease of at least 20 per cent in household income. Where a recipient has requested an inyear reassessment due to a decrease in household income, net income and AFNI is determined by MOF using the amount that best approximates the household's income, calculated and adjusted as outlined in 6.3 "Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI)" on page 12. The calculation is based on MOF's projections of income and deductions for the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the month following the month in which the review is considered.
6.9 Monthly Payments
When MOF receives a completed application form or annual renewal form by the relevant monthly cut-off date or the annual renewal deadline, payment is processed on a go-forward basis according to the effective start date in the Eligibility Notice for new applicants or the first payment date of the next benefit period for existing recipients. Payments are made by the 28th of each month.
If an application form is not submitted by the monthly cut-off date or is incomplete, new applicants will be paid retroactively from the effective start date in the Eligibility Notice once all required information has been submitted.
If an annual renewal form is submitted incomplete, recipients will be paid retroactively from the beginning of the new benefit year once all required information has been submitted.
The household's COHB benefit may be suspended if a recipient is absent from Ontario for more than 60 consecutive days, or if MOF has an incorrect mailing address or incorrect direct deposit information.
6.10 Direct Deposit
Payments will be made by direct deposit only, except for extenuating circumstances. Applicants should submit direct deposit information with their applications, such as void cheques or direct deposit forms from their bank along with a completed Schedule 3 form (Direct Deposit Request). MOF uses this information to set up monthly payments to applicants.