By Stephanie Cadieux
Minister of Social Development

May 7, 2012

VICTORIA - I wanted to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion that has been swirling around regarding supports and services provided by the Ministry of Social Development.

British Columbia has a solid system of income and disability assistance supports that provides temporary help to those who can work, and longer-term assistance to those who - through disability or other barriers - cannot work or have difficulty working full-time.

Our government spends approximately $1.6 billion a year providing income assistance to over 180,000 people. We have a responsibility to ensure that this assistance is provided in a fair, transparent and fiscally prudent manner to ensure that dollars are being spent where they are most needed. This means that not everyone is eligible for
every benefit - the line has to be drawn somewhere.

Every benefit, service and support has specific eligibility criteria that clients must meet in order to receive the benefit. These requirements must be clear and applied fairly to everyone. Our front-line staff work diligently to assess and work with each client to
ensure that they are receiving the appropriate supports and services for which they are eligible.

For those who are expected to work - approximately 34,000 cases - we provide a comprehensive system of supports that are designed to help them find a job and regain their independence. We believe that people would rather work than be on assistance, so our focus for these individuals is to support work plans, provide training and assistance, and help them get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

More than 98,000 individuals are receiving disability assistance in B.C. These individuals receive an enhanced benefit package that a higher support rate and a broad system of supports. These benefits include low-cost annual bus passes, free MSP coverage, non-deductable PharmaCare, moving and transportation costs, and a number of health supplements including medical equipment, dental coverage and nutritional supplements.

Staff rely on information provided by individuals and their physicians to identify need and establish eligibility for health supplements. It's very important that people work closely with their doctors to ensure the information provided to the ministry is accurate and comprehensive.

As well, there are many organizations and non-profits that provide additional supports and services to those in our community that need a little extra assistance. My ministry works closely with these community groups to ensure that we maximize the supports and benefits available to our clients with no unintended consequences on their monthly
provincial support.

There are times when situations arise that expose unnecessary complexity in our system. Such a situation arose last week around nutritional supplements. A review of the situation highlighted the complex set of regulatory rules that our staff must consider every day while assisting people in challenging circumstances. To me, the rules
seem a little too complex and I have directed staff to review and suggest how to simplify eligibility requirements for nutritional supplements so that in future, others in similar situations don't experience the same challenges.

I can assure you that the ministry is committed to assisting our clients to address their health needs while dealing with extreme illness. I encourage anyone unsatisfied with a decision by the ministry to apply for reconsideration, or to reapply for support if their condition has changed over time. In the meantime, we will continue to work hard to provide the best supports possible to British Columbians in their greatest time of need.