FAIR Play Program

You are eligible to apply if you are receiving income assistance from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. You must provide the following documents with your FAIR Play Program Application:

• Proof of Burnaby residency with your full name and home address, dated within the last 90 days. Please provide one of the following: 
  • home related bill dated within the last 90 days
  • current lease or rental agreement document dated within the last 90 days
  • current tenant or vehicle insurance document dated within the last 90 days
  • bank statement dated within the last 90 days
• Confirmation of Assistance Statement from your online account with the Ministry of Social Development (visit the self-serve portal or contact your Ministry of Development Case Worker), or one of the following: 
  • Notice of Deposit 
  • Release of Personal Information (learn how to get this release)
  • Confirmation of GIS from Service Canada (You will receive a letter from Old Age Security every July confirming your GIS—To request a reprint contact Old Age Security at 1-800-277-9914). 
  • Copy of your Red Compass Card for each household member who is using this for confirmation of assistance
• Canada Child Benefit Statement (all pages), including names of all children in the household applying for FAIR Play (Learn how to get a copy of your Canada Child Benefit Statement)

You are eligible to apply if you are a Burnaby resident and your combined family income from Line 15000 on Notices of Assessment for all adult family members does not exceed the amount listed for the number of people in your family. If it exceeds this amount, you are not eligible.

Note: If you are an adult with a disability, not receiving Income Assistance, please apply using the Family Income Amount. 

For individuals with Disability Tax Credit, your maximum allowable income to qualify is increased by the amount of your Disability Tax Credit. 

If you are applying based on family income, you must provide the following documents with your FAIR Play Program Application:

• Proof of Burnaby residency with your full name and home address, dated within the last 90 days. Please provide one of the following:   
  • home related bill dated within the last 90 days
  • current lease or rental agreement document dated within the last 90 days
  • current tenant or vehicle insurance document dated within the last 90 days
  • bank statement dated within the last 90 days
• Copies of the most recent Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment for each adult family member (Learn how to access your CRA account), or if you have been in Canada for less than one year and do not have a Notice of Assessment, but are working or collecting employment insurance benefits, you can provide copies of your 2 most recent pay statements or employment insurance statements

You are eligible if you are a Burnaby resident, receiving income assistance from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

You are eligible to apply on behalf of a child with a disability if you are currently receiving the Child Disability Benefit. This application is only for your child. Other members of the family may apply using the option that reflects their circumstances.

If you are applying on behalf of a child with a disability, you must provide the following documents with your FAIR Play Program Application:

• Proof of Burnaby residency with your full name and home address, dated within the last 90 days. Please provide one of the following:  
  • home related bill dated within the last 90 days
  • current lease or rental agreement document dated within the last 90 days
  • current tenant or vehicle insurance document dated within the last 90 days
  • bank statement dated within the last 90 days
• Copy of your current Canada Child Benefit Statement (all pages) including the explanation section to verify receipt of the Child Disability Benefit (Learn how to get a copy of your Canada Child Benefit Statement)

You are eligible to apply if you are a Burnaby resident and have your current Canadian Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization, or if you are a privately sponsored refugee. 

If you are applying using CUAET or Privately Sponsored Refugee Status, you must provide the following documents with your FAIR Play Program Application:

• Proof of Burnaby residency with your full name and home address, dated within the last 90 days. Please provide one of the following:
  • home related bill dated within the last 90 days
  • current lease or rental agreement document dated within the last 90 days
  • current tenant or vehicle insurance document dated within the last 90 days
  • bank statement dated within the last 90 days
• For CUAET:
  • Copy of your Emergency Travel Authorization papers and/or work or study permits 
    Copy or your current Ukrainian passport or current government issued photo identification for each applicant
• For Privately Sponsored Refugee:
  • Copy of your Confirmation of Permanent Residence/Permanent Resident Card for each applicant
    Copy of your Verification of Status document for each applicant

• The approved agency referral process will be available soon. Please check back.
• We appreciate the inquiries from agencies interested in becoming an approved referral agency for the FAIR Play program. We will respond to all inquiries we receive but with current volumes this may take several weeks. Thanks for your patience!
• If you are interested in becoming an approved referral agency for the FAIR Play program, please email the FAIR Play Office at  [email protected].

1. Go to the My Account for Individuals webpage on the Canada Revenue website. 
2. Sign in to your account using one of the 3 options provided on the page. 

Having trouble accessing your account? Visit the CRA help webpage or call CRA at 1-800-959-8281. 

1. Log in to your CRA Account
2. Scroll down and click on “Tax Returns” from the left-side menu. You will see a list of your past year’s returns. 
3. For the most recent year, click on “Notice of Assessment.” Your document will show up on the screen.
4. Click on the PDF button to make a printable version. Save this to your computer and print it out.
5. To get your Notice of Assessment by phone, call Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281.

Note: For your FAIR Play application, you will need to provide the Notice of Assessment for each family member who had income in the past year.

1. Log in to your CRA Account
2. Scroll down to find “Correspondence” in the left side menu, and click “Mail.”
3. Scroll down to CCB Notice (Canada Child Benefit). Click on it to open.
4. Click on the button to save the document to your computer, and print it out. 
5. If you need help finding your Child Benefit Notice, you can call CRA at 1-800-387-1193. You will need to provide:
   • your social insurance number
   • personal details about the children in your care (names, dates of birth)
   • information from previous benefit payments 
      

Contact your Ministry of Social Development Case Worker and request Consent to Disclosure of Information and Service Authorization. The form must be addressed to City of Burnaby, Parks, Recreation and Culture, for the purpose of confirming assistance.
 

Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Culture’s Financial Assistance and Inclusion for Residents (FAIR) Play Program replaces the Recreation Credit Program. The FAIR Play Program provides eligible Burnaby residents with benefits to help them access Burnaby’s Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) activities and services.

Research has shown that providing subsidized recreation and culture services to people who have low-income has many positive outcomes including improved health and wellbeing. This makes Burnaby a better place to live, work and play.

The FAIR Play Program has been implemented since March 2024 with the approval of Burnaby City Council, in response to feedback from residents and agencies about the challenges of the former Recreation Credit Program. The FAIR Play application process has been simplified to better reflect the needs of applicants and improve access to PRC activities and services.

• Applicants must be Burnaby residents.
• Applicants can be individuals or families.
  • Family is defined as a single adult or 2 legally married/common-law adults, and their legal dependents aged 18 years and younger living in the same home. Extended family or children over the age of 18 years living in the same home must apply separately.
• Applicants must meet the criteria* of one of the following 5 options to apply:
  1. They are receiving federal or provincial income assistance.
  2. Their combined family income is within the FAIR Play income scale.
  3. They are a child with a disability (parent applies on behalf of the child).
  4. They are in the Canadian-Ukraine Authorization Emergency Travel (CUAET) program or a privately sponsored refugee.
  5. They are referred by one of our approved referral agencies (application form NOT required).
• The FAIR Play Program is not currently accepting applications from domestic or international Post-Secondary students who are temporary residents of Burnaby. Applications will only be accepted from students whose full time home residence is Burnaby, who can provide proof of that residency dated within the last 90 days, and who meet the requirements of one of the methods of application identified on the FAIR Play application.

*See SECTION B “Method of Application” on the FAIR Play Program application form for more details and accepted supporting documents. 

• A no-cost FAIR Play 10 visit Try-It Pass for applicants who meet the Try-It pass eligibility criteria.
• A no-cost annual Be Active Pass per person for admission to:
  • public swimming, aquafit, family swims, lap swims, sauna, and whirlpool and loonie swim
  • public skating, family skating and toonie skates
  • weight rooms including strength and cardio equipment
  • fitness, yoga and pilates classes including specialized drop-in classes (Zumba®, indoor cycling)
  • drop-in gym sports and table tennis
• A FAIR Play recreation credit of $500 for each child up to 14 years of age and $250 for each youth 15-25 years of age, plus adults and seniors to use for registered activities and non-Be Active Passes (i.e. seniors’ membership, Burnaby Village Museum membership, skate and helmet rentals and childminding).
  • Please note: The Fair Play recreation credit cannot be used for facility reservations including birthday parties, personal training, golf or merchandise (except supplies/equipment required for a registered activity).

The FAIR Play Be Active 10 visit Try-It Pass is specifically intended to welcome applicants who do not have access to Be Active drop-in activities, while we are processing your application for the FAIR Play Program. Not every applicant to the FAIR Play Program will be eligible for a Try-It Pass. If any of the following applies to you or any of the family members on your application, then that person is not eligible for a Try-It Pass:

• You received a recreation credit within the last 12 months.
• You have used up all the recreation credit you received within the last 12 months. 
• You have current recreation credit which can be used to give you access to activities.
• You have a Be Active Pass that is valid for the next month or longer. 
• You have a Be Active Visit or Legacy Visit Pass with 10 or more visits remaining.
• You have received a Be Active Try-It Pass within in the last year (Note: only one Try-It Pass will be issued in a year).
• If you or any family member on the application is suspended from any PRC facilities/services that person is not eligible.

It will take up to 4 weeks from the time of application to receive FAIR Play benefits. Applicants will receive a welcome letter by email or mail when your benefits have been issued. If your application is incomplete, you will be contacted by the FAIR Play Program staff with information about how to complete the application. Applications found in-eligible will be advised by the FAIR Play Program staff.

By email: 

Submit the application and copies of supporting documents to [email protected].

By mail:

Submit the application and copies of supporting documents by mail to:

FAIR Play Office
#2301-3713 Kensington Avenue
Burnaby, BC, V7B 0A7

In-person:

Pick up a paper copy of the FAIR Play application from any City of Burnaby recreation or culture facility, or fill out and print this application form. Bring the completed application and copies of supporting documents to the front desk of any recreation or culture facility

Referral from a trusted partner agency: 

Request a referral from your approved referral agency worker directly. An application is NOT required, instead your approved referral agency will email or mail a FAIR Play referral form directly to the FAIR Play Office. More information on approved referral agencies to come. Please check back.