*story updated at 2:17 pm, Wednesday July 8, 2009
VANCOUVER - The need for income assistance in B.C. is expected to exceed what the government has budgeted for -- by $100 million, according the BC New Democrats.
The BC NDP released an internal Ministry of Housing and Social Development Powerpoint presentation that shows the status of monthly caseloads. Employment and assistance caseloads have increased from 100,000 in 2007 to 120,000 this year, and is expected to peak at 147,000 by next summer.
Also released was a leaked email from Heather Davidson, assistant to the deputy minister of housing and social development. It states; "we have had to make the difficult decision to freeze spending on direct purchases, effective immediately"
"By the documents that we've seen, beginning in June they froze a number of direct purchase programs that include adult basic education, English as a second language, vocational assessments, programs around foreign credentials," said NDP social development critic Shane Simpson.
"It makes no sense to be freezing out a number of programs that might assist people to get back into the workplace."
Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman said the 147,000 projection was a 'worst-case scenario' and told The Tyee the ministry temporarily froze certain categories of spending while it determines which are most important.
"People should know this: The provision of social assistance is a statutory responsibility," said Coleman. "No person that would qualify for welfare would not get paid. Any indication from the NDP that we are gong to cut welfare rates is not true."
In April, The Tyee reported on how B.C.’s 'overly complex' welfare system has kept needy off rolls, and how government overpaid private contractors who provided job placement programs.
Last week, the ministry announced that responsibility for transition houses and related support services would be transferred to crown corporation BC Housing. Minister Coleman said that decision was not based on budgetary concerns.
Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.
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Martin Campbell
2 years ago
Shame
I am deeply ashamed of the way the BC Government treats the poor and sick in this province.
There is no justification for the liberals actions against the weakest members of our society. None.
Powell river pe...
2 years ago
Well
So what else is new,the last paragraph,Campbell downloads welfare costs onto BC housing?
And,Campbell paid tens of millions too much for his friends to put people to work,Campbell couldn`t run a lemonade stand.
G West
2 years ago
Very Interesting
Coleman's own ministry says that
they're in trouble...fancy that!
G West
2 years ago
And Coleman's going to have to do more than 'freeze' programs
The number of people on welfare in B.C. has risen significantly the ministry reported in mid May.
Numbers from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development show the number of people on social assistance who were able and expected to work has increased 49.8 per cent in the last six months.
There were 32,000 people who were defined as able to work on welfare — an increase of 10,000 people from September to March — according to the B.C. Employment and Assistance summary report.
Social assistance case numbers show single men and two-parent families were hardest hit by the slump. The ministry found:
* Two-parent families on welfare rose by 71 per cent to 1,695 cases.
* Single men ib welfare rose by 61 per cent to 17,090 cases.
* Couples with no children rose by 53 per cent to 929 cases.
* Single women rose by 39 per cent to 7,148 cases.
* Single-parent families rose by 27 per cent to 5,152 cases.
* And the overall the number of people on welfare rose 26.2 per cent to 50,537 cases.
A 2008 report by the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C. said that welfare rates in B.C. fall far short of covering daily expenses.
An average one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is $900 a month, while a single adult expected to work gets $610/month and two parents with, say five children will receive $1,221 a month.
Good luck with that folks - no wonder the ADM is writing memos and someone with a conscience is leaking them.
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
Oh yeah, that makes a lot of sense
to cut Adult Education and vocational assessments when you're trying to get people off welfare. Where do they find these rocket scientists?
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
and I was really glad
to hear Shane Simpson come right out and say that on the news.
North of Hope
2 years ago
It was reported
It is amazing that "It was reported" is on the news. During the BC election, these items were not reported. Our society has moved from the concept that we have the freedom of speech to the politicly useful idea that we can omit stating the truth during an election campaign. The BC Liberals exploits this to the extreme.
sunshine coast girl
2 years ago
and the mainstream media
goes right along with it.
Dungeness_Crab
2 years ago
Since I daren't
use the dreaded "CW" phrase (because I'll no doubt be deleted a second time) I guess I'd best just leave it at this:
Care about each other, peeps.