The Province is closely monitoring the Canada Post labour situation to ensure that British Columbians who are on income assistance will receive their June cheques on time.

If there is no resolution to the Canada Post lock-out by midday Friday, the ministry will implement an alternate distribution plan to ensure income assistance payments are available to clients as scheduled. More details will be available on Friday.

About 80 per cent of British Columbians on income assistance receive their payments via direct deposit and will not be affected by the Canada Post job action.

However, about 18,000 income-assistance clients still receive cheques in the mail for a variety of reasons.

The ministry also mails approximately 80,000 vendor cheques for rent and utilities each month.

Contact:

David Haslam
Communications Manager
Ministry of Social Development
250 356-1670