SUMA concerned about social assistance recipients following budget release
The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) is concerned about the plight of social assistance recipients. This week’s provincial budget offered a $60 monthly increase. SUMA says the amount falls short of needs, with municipalities left to address hunger and homelessness.
Kelly Anderson has been living on social assistance since injuring his knee four years ago. After paying rent, he has only $200 a month to live on.
“The SIS program is not working for me. It’s not working for many people because the cost of living is just unbelievable,” he said
This week’s provincial budget provided social assistance recipients an extra $60 a month, $30 for rent and $30 for food.
“We don’t get enough rent from the system. We have to use our living cost to cover most of our rent,” Anderson said.
SUMA also said the increase falls short.
“When we’re seeing people that don’t have places to live that are suffering, that are now congregating in our public facilities, in our libraries, on our streets, in front of businesses, that becomes the concern of our municipalities now,” said Randy Goulden, SUMA president.
The NDP Opposition says it understands where SUMA is coming from.
“Yeah, I think they’re right to be concerned. A lot of the fallout from this pretty disastrous new SIS program is, you know, falling to them to kind of pick up the pieces,” said NDP MLA Meara Conway.
The government believes that social assistance is keeping pace with rising costs.
“There was an increase of $11 million this year, $14 million and that has resulted, along with the Affordability Tax Credit, an increase of 15 per cent and so that’s outpaced inflation,” said Gene Makowsky, minister of social services.
SUMA believes more still needs to be done. It will debate a resolution at its upcoming spring convention, calling for higher social assistance payments to help the most vulnerable residents of their communities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.