The City of Burlington offers financial assistance to individuals or families who qualify when registering for recreation programs. Non-profit community organizations may also apply for fee assistance on behalf of their participants. Fee assistance can be used for:
- Drop-in programs
- Passes and memberships
- Registered programs
Qualification requirements
To qualify for recreation fee assistance, you must:
- Be a resident of Burlington and provide proof of residency, such as a driver's license, Ontario photo ID card, utility bill, property tax bill or tenant agreement
- Have a total net individual or combined family income below the low-income cut off (LICO) and provide current official documentation that shows combined family income, such as a Notice of Assessment T451 form for adult all family members, a Canada Child Tax Benefit Notice or proof of an Ontario Disability Support Program
- Or, be a refugee within your first year of settlement and provide proof of permanent residency and Burlington residency
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Ukrainian newcomers and visitors with federal documentation also are eligible to apply for Recreation Fee Assistance funding. Please call 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 to leave a voice mail, or email feeassistance@burlington.ca to start the application process
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Non-profit community organizations focused on social services may also apply for fee assistance on behalf of their participants, for example a local women's shelter seeking swim passes for residents.
Apply for fee assistance
To apply for recreation fee assistance, complete the Fee Assistance Application and send it along with your required documents to us:
- By email to feeassistance@burlington.ca, or
- In-person at Tansley Woods Community Centre, or the Burlington Senior's Centre during service hours
Please allow five business days for us to process your application. We will notify you when we have processed your application.
For more information or questions about applying for fee assistance, call us at 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 to leave a confidential voicemail message.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
View some of our frequently asked questions about recreation fee assistance. You will be approved for a percentage of the program that you plan to register for. The percentage is dependent on your household income and number of people in your house. It is your responsibility to pay for a portion of the registration costs.
| What is LICO? |
| LICO refers to Low-Income Cut Off which is determined by Statistics Canada to define the income level when financial assistance is needed. It is based on the size of the area you live, the number of people in your family and your income. |
| How Much will I be approved for? |
| You will be approved for a percentage of the program that you plan to register for. The percentage is dependent on your household income and number of people in your house. It is your responsibility to pay for a portion of the registration costs. |
| Can I apply for multiple programs? |
| Each family member is eligible for one program per registration session. For example, one swim program in winter and one child program in spring.
Eligible applicants will qualify for two weeks of summer camp programs. |
| What if I don't use my approved funds? |
| Approved funds are applied to your account when they are approved. If you do not use the approved amount, it will be removed from your account at the end of the season. You may apply for funding in the next season. |
| How often do I have to apply? |
| You must apply every season with current documentation. |