AFC

Emergency Aid

Short-term financial assistance with costs of necessities to help you maintain your health, housing, or ability to work. 

In case of a financial shortfall because of illness, injury, or other hardship, this program can help with immediate costs like rent or mortgage, groceries, medical and emergency dental expenses, utilities, phone and internet bills, and more. 

Emergency Aid – Strikes

If you have been affected by the ongoing industry strikes, please use the simplified application process and application form here

For applications not related to the strikes, please use the information and the application form below. 

The AFC can provide assistance with costs of necessities to help you maintain your health, housing, or ability to work on a short-term basis (usually one month). If assistance is approved, we will make cheques out directly to your creditors.

The AFC is not intended to address need created by unemployment, ongoing debt, or long-term or recurring situations. It is expected that applicants will make all reasonable efforts to seek other resources, such as looking for work outside the entertainment industry, applying for emergency aid or relief programs through their union or guild, seeking financial counseling, and applying for government benefits.

Common requests include:

  • Rent or mortgage
  • Grocery costs
  • Transportation costs
  • Medical costs
  • Emergency dental costs
  • Utility bills
  • Dues (maximum of one year’s worth of dues; no initiation fees)
  • Phone and internet (maximum of $150.00 for both)
  • Childcare expenses
  • Emergency relocation, moving, or travel costs

The AFC cannot assist with:

  • Life insurance payments
  • Income tax payments
  • Credit card or loan payments
  • Legal fees
  • Education or business costs
  • Cable TV
  • Agent fees and photos
  • Union initiation fees

The AFC cannot generally help with costs that have been unpaid for a very long time, or with costs that will not be due for several months. If you are not sure whether The AFC can help with the items you need, please call our office or email us for more information.

Everyone:

Documentation of the costs for which you are requesting assistance (more information)

If you have a medical emergency:
Doctor’s note stating the nature of your illness or injury, the date it started, and about how long you will be unable to work.

If you have a dental emergency:
Treatment plan or estimate with itemized costs.

Proof of costs

You will also need to include documentation of the type and amount of costs you are requesting assistance with. If you have any questions or concerns about finding or submitting these documents, please call our office or email contact@AFChelps.ca.

What kind of documents should I submit to prove my costs?

Rent:

  • Lease
    OR
  • Previous rent cheque
    OR
  • Eviction notice
    OR
  • Letter from landlord/person you sublet from. Should state your name, their name (or company that rent is to be paid to), address of rented property and the amount of rent you pay per month.

Mortgage:

  • Mortgage agreement showing amount and dates of payments
    OR
  • Bank statement showing automatic withdrawal of mortgage. If bank statement does not show your name, you must also include a void cheque to link your name to the account number on the statement.

Utilities, phone/internet bills, health/car/home insurance, car payment:

  • Copy of outstanding bill
    OR
  • Screenshot of your account balance on company’s website. Must also show your name.
    OR
  • Bank statement showing automatic withdrawal. If bank statement does not show your name, you must also include a void cheque to link your name to the account number on the statement.
    OR
  • Agreement showing your name, the company’s name, and the dates and amount of each payment.

Food, Transit and Fuel:

No documentation needed.

Dues:

  • Copy of a recent dues notice
    OR
  • Ask your union to send us a copy of the notice OR ask your union to confirm the amount that you owe by contacting us directly.

Medical Expenses:

  • Copy of outstanding invoice
    OR
  • Treatment plan with estimated costs

Emergency Dental Expenses:

  • Treatment plan with estimated costs from your dentist’s office
    OR
  • If you cannot afford to see a dentist to get a treatment plan, please contact us.

Other Expenses:
For other expenses, you will need to submit a bill, invoice, or payment agreement that clearly shows the amount that you owe, what it is you owe for, and the date of purchase or time period you owe for.

Apply Now

You are eligible to apply if you have:

  • earned more than half your income in the Canadian entertainment industry over the past 3 years
  • earned the majority of your income from the Canadian entertainment industry, if you are over 65
  • experienced an unforeseeable emergency that has led to a financial crisis
  • made reasonable efforts to find other means of income or support

If you are unsure whether you are eligible to apply, please call us to discuss your situation.

You can apply by downloading a pdf application. We can also mail you an application form if you prefer to apply offline. With questions about the program, eligibility, or for help with applications, please make an appointment with Navigator.

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