Guaranteed income supplement mixup fixed for N.B. couple

A New Brunswick couple is relieved after receiving a call from Service Canada assuring them their cancelled guaranteed income supplement, a supplement given only to the neediest of seniors by the federal government, is being reinstated.

Stanley and Connie Ivey, both 76, of Canterbury have each been receiving the supplement for more than 10 years. In July, they received notice there was a problem and both their supplements were cut that month, taking away $656.49 in income away from the couple.

Suddenly, they couldn't afford groceries. For the first time in their lives, they had to ask for help from children and neighbours.

"We have eight kids," said Connie Ivey. "And the neighbours. I mean my friend brought me some groceries yesterday. I had eight kids. I lived on $600 a month and I raised eight kids and they always had food in the house. I never had to borrow from anybody."

The Iveys also received notice their provincial drug coverage will be cancelled at the end of October. Stanley Ivey is dependent on heart medication, and drops for glaucoma.

After the July cancellation their daughter, Katherine Edwards, started searching for answers.

"I went for four days on the phone, and going to H&R Block, and to Service Canada, and on the phone and papers."

She found two possible issues, but couldn't figure out which was the cause of the cancellation. 

She discovered that about 140,000 Canadians didn't have their supplement automatically renewed because of "systems changes," according to Service Canada.

The affected seniors are a "small percentage" of the 1.8 million seniors who receive the monthly supplement.

Edwards also found that their parents had filed their taxes differently this year, as compared to past years. 

The Iveys have had their tax returns done at Woodstock's H&R Block for many years. This year, for some reason, the Iveys say Connie Ivey's T4 was not included with her husband's return.

Katherine Edwards says she was told her mother "didn't have any taxable income," so didn't need to file.

Brenda Collins Driscoll, the location's owner, said she would not comment on the Iveys' case, even with their permission, but says it's up to the taxpayer to request separate income taxes to be filed.

Edwards paid to have Connie's income taxes filed, but it still wasn't clear to the family which issue had caused the cancellation.

Service Canada just called my parents... My mother couldn't stop smiling.- Katherine Edwards

Late Tuesday, after queries to Service Canada by CBC News, the government confirmed the income tax filing was the cause of the Iveys' issue, not the larger administrative issue. Plus, the GIS would be coming in again within one week.

"Service Canada just called my parents, " said an excited Katherine Edwards. "My mother couldn't stop smiling."  

Edwards says Service Canada advised they would get their retroactive income supplement within the week. And all their payments should be back to normal by the end of September.  

Service Canada has more information available on its website on the administrative issue.

"The processing of these accounts is being undertaken on a priority basis. Eligible seniors are being informed of the amount of money to which they are entitled, and when they should receive it, as their file is reviewed," it states.