Treat it as an expectation rather than a commitment. Do not sell property, end coverage or make irreversible arrangements in Canada before status is actually granted.
Nothing irreversible until the status exists
Published processing expectations describe what a programme aims for when documents and payments arrive promptly. They are not enforceable by an applicant, and vetting or admissibility questions can extend them without notice. The sequence that protects a retired couple is: assess admissibility, including any past refusals, overstays or health matters, before paying; complete the application and vetting; make the gift only when the process calls for it; receive status; and only then take tax advice on the date residency begins and its Canadian consequences before disposing of any property or changing coverage. Ontario health coverage rules and Canadian tax residency are administered by Canadian bodies and should be addressed with Canadian advisers on their own timetable, which is rarely a matter of weeks.
Hypothetical example: a patent-royalty recipient expects a large payment in six months and wants to time a Gold Card application around it. A first review produces a sequence for the processing fee, background review, later gift instruction, visa processing and relocation decisions. The contract and payment records settle when funds are actually available; a forecast royalty is not payment capacity. If the person needs work authorization or a status extension before the programme can finish, that separate route must be maintained on its own facts. Selling a home, ending Canadian coverage or moving before permanent-residence status is issued can create avoidable personal risk.