Some people are reacting angrily to news that the $500 cost-of-living cheques will be going out through mail—not direct deposit.

The Department of Finance will only say that the money will start going out around the middle of this month, and that all the cheques will be distributed in about six weeks.

They will be mailed to eligible residents based on their address on file with the Canada Revenue Agency as of June 2022. The processing order is based on individual incomes, meaning that the lowest incomes get their money first.

The department says that the cheques are being mailed as they do not have access to residents’ banking information, and they would need individual consent to access that information, meaning the benefit would have to be application-based, delaying payments.

Contact the Tax Administration Division at 1-877-729-6376 or email taxadmin@gov.nl.ca should you require an address change or have any questions about the program.

About 392,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador will receive the benefit at a cost of around $200 million.