The Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity’s overhaul of social assistance, which was supposed to help the most vulnerable, is not making everyone happy.
A Rimouski couple is stuck in an administrative maze and is being deprived of $1,200 a month over a bureaucratic matter.
The man in his fifties has been dependent on social assistance for medical reasons since the year 2000.
“I have Parkinson’s, polyarthrosis and fibromyalgia,” he told TVA Nouvelles. “I’m in bad shape.”
His wife always worked. Monsieur’s benefits were always adjusted to Madame’s income.
The overhaul of the welfare program now allows recipients of the Basic Income Program in Long-Term Social Solidarity to no longer have their benefits cut if their spouse earns less than $28,000 a year. This change is effective January 1, 2023.
Being a long-time beneficiary of this program, the couple believed they could expect $1,211 a month starting Jan. 1.
“The government created a great program, something good, something that we welcomed, but we hadn’t seen the blind spot of the people who would be excluded,” explained Michel Dubé of Action Populaire Rimouski-Neigette.
The problem is that the applicant’s spouse is receiving an old age security pension. When the federal government increased benefits in November 2022, the couple’s income increased by a few dollars. This increase resulted in the Lord not receiving welfare benefits in November and December 2022.
“It’s $24 too much a month that the spouse received in retirement benefits,” explains Michel Dubé.
Since he has not received any benefits for two months, the gentleman is no longer entitled to the solidarity basic security program.
“Right now I feel like a victim of the system,” said Rimouski.
The couple applied to the Department for Employment and Social Solidarity for a review, which was denied. They are now awaiting a hearing before the Quebec Administrative Court.