Manitoba spending $29M on expanding disability services, increasing support worker wages

The Manitoba government will commit $29 million toward supporting disability services and increasing wages for front-line employees who work with people with disabilities.

Baseline wages for direct service workers will rise to $15.11 an hour from $13.75, and supervisor wages will increase to $16.11 from $15.13.

"Our government understands the importance of recruiting and retaining highly skilled frontline workers in the adult disability services sector," Premier Heather Stefanson told the media on Wednesday.

Day service providers will also see 2.7 per cent increase.

These wage increases are in addition to the $2.5 million grant that was issued in March 2022.

Abilities Manitoba will receive $370,000 to put toward an awareness campaign to recruit new Community Living Disability Services (CLDS) workers and provide training to staff.

"Our field is facing a labour shortage unlike anything seen before, and the pandemic has meant that only a small amount of training has occurred," said Scott Smith, chair of the board of Abilities Manitoba.

According to Smith, this is the largest injection of money the sector has received in 20 years.

Keeping staff that care

Jessica Croy, an adviser to Families Minister Rochelle Squires on disability issues who receives direct support, says the increased wages will make a big difference in her life.

"I've had staff tell me that I am just a paycheque to them … this doesn't feel good, and it makes me feel like less of a person," Croy said.

She said can tell when a support worker is "just here for a paycheque" and someone who really loves the job, such as the compassionate support workers who have taught her how to cook and helped her work toward her goals. 

She hopes that increased wages and better training opportunities will help her continue to receive support that makes her feel valued.

"I will say that it [increased pay] certainly doesn't go far enough to recognize the demands of the job and meet all the requests that were provided from [the] community, but it is an initial step," Squires told reporters.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the pay bump is long overdue. 

"Some of the most heartbreaking stories [I've heard are] the parents of children with disabilities who don't have adequate care, and their parents afraid for the safety of their own children because they can't keep support workers around enough because support workers can't make a living," he said.

"It is a very positive step in the right direction."

The province will also spend $5 million on children's disability services, which will support St. Amant in their case management and increase access to children's therapies.