“Every year, the clinics just continue to grow,” says  Tammy Harvey, who coordinates the Financial Empowerment program. “The tax clinics alone have doubled since 2019.”

“On average people get $4,000 back,” notes Kathy Kennedy, Executive Director of PELC.

$3.3 million in benefits and credits returned to the pockets of community members in 2024.

“When we started the income of people using the service was about $35,000. Now we’re taking people with incomes around $45,000,” said Ms. Kennedy. “We’re seeing more employed people.”

But even as wages rise, inflation and the lack of affordable housing are shifting the goalposts for what is considered a “modest” income.

“Those things are hitting a lot of people hard. Not just people on social assistance,” she adds.

15 percent of clients come in needing to file for multiple years. “We can access any slips that they’re missing from those years,” Ms. Harvey noted. And 83 percent are single. “Single people are struggling with living on their own and paying rent.”  

People under 30 are another stressed cohort, and 20 percent of tax clients.

New Formats

PELC offered new community outreach initiatives this year, including on-site filing services at Leeward House and the H.J. McFarland Memorial Home. A tax clinic ran at the Picton Branch Library every Wednesday. PELC also extended its working hours.

Outside of tax season, Ms. Harvey’s team turns its attention to the systems navigation program, which helps clients with more complex financial matters.

“We work really hard to identify needs and get individuals in our community connected to the benefits and credits they’re entitled to,” said Ms. Harvey. “We use advocacy and problem solving and guidance to connect people with the appropriate resources.”

Their next big project is getting eligible clients on the Canada Disability Benefit, a new monthly payment for low income earners with disabilities that rolls out in July.

PELC also works with the Prince Edward Family Health Team. “All the work we do here responds to social determinants of health,” said Ms. Kennedy. “Social prescribing is a new proposal getting broad- based support.”

PELC is Growing

The Learning Centre is funded by the municipality. Ms. Kennedy credits this financial support for helping them grow in recent years, but there is still work to be done. She estimates another 2500 to 4000 residents could benefit from the tax clinic.

Much of the program’s success comes from PELC’s large volunteer base. In addition to two full-time staff, 13 tax clinic volunteers do everything from screen for eligibility to making appointments. 

“We would not have the capacity to assist as many people as we do without each and every one of those folks who have donated their time and volunteered with the program,” said Ms. Harvey.

A  get-together at the office on April 28th celebrated National Volunteer Week. 

“We couldn’t do the work that we do without volunteers. We’ve got 13 staff right now, full and part time, and 88 volunteers. They really extend our ability,” said Ms. Kennedy. 

“But I think what’s really important is the relationships volunteers make with clients and learners in the centre. That’s really how we connect and how we’re a community.”