Temporary Rent Assistance Benefit (TRAB)
This gives you money each month to help pay rent for a short time. It is for working households with low income, or people who are between jobs, so you can stay in your place while you get back on your feet. The money is paid right to you. It is smaller in the second year. Check the province's rate schedule for the current amounts.
What you get
Monthly money toward your rent
Who it's for
You qualify if you meet the income and residency rules and are working now or have worked in the past 24 months.
This takes you to the official website
What to have ready
Documents they may ask for
- Government ID for everyone in your household, if available
- A copy of your lease or rent agreement
- Recent rent receipt, ledger, or proof of what you owe
- Recent pay stubs, benefit statement, or income proof
- ODSP, Ontario Works, CPP, OAS, or other benefit statement if you have one
- Recent bank statement, if the program asks for it
What to say when you call
“Hi, I found your housing support program and I want to check if I can apply. Can you tell me the current rules, documents needed, and the next step?”
Use the official page first, then call 211 if you are not sure where to start.
Can I get this?
You have a good chance if this sounds like you:
- You qualify if you meet the income and residency rules and are working now or have worked in the past 24 months
- You cannot be getting other social assistance like Income Support, AISH, or the Alberta Seniors Benefit
- It is offered in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and nearby areas
What to do next
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The fine print
More details about the money
A temporary monthly subsidy paid directly to the tenant, calculated based on household size and location. The benefit is reduced in the second year. Current per-bedroom rates are in the province's TRAB rates schedule on open.alberta.ca; confirm the live figure before quoting.
Amounts and eligibility change. Confirm the current figure with the program administrator through the official link before you rely on it.
The full eligibility rules
Households that meet basic income and citizenship/residency criteria, are currently employed OR have worked within the past 24 months, and are NOT receiving social assistance (Income Support, AISH, Alberta Seniors Benefit, etc.). Available in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer and surrounding areas.
Good to know
Verified against alberta.ca/rent-assistance (live, June 2026): TRAB requires being employed or employed within the last 24 months, excludes social-assistance recipients, is limited to the named urban centres, is paid direct to tenants, carries a '2-year limit with eligibility reassessed after the first year,' and the amount is 'reduced in the second year.' A published TRAB rates schedule exists on the official open.alberta.ca portal; specific per-bedroom dollar rates were not captured here, so verify current rates from that dataset before quoting a figure.
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