Party leaders question underspent community services budget

The P.E.I. government underspent on its community services budget last year by more than $5 million, newly released financial figures indicate.

The money was earmarked for social assistance clients, children in care, and other Islanders in need.

Year-end figures show the Department of Community Services and Seniors had $5.2 million leftover from its 2013-2014 budget that was never spent.

That's more than twice what was estimated last spring when it first came to light the department had money left over.

The new figure includes more than $1 million for child-care subsidies and supports for children, and almost $1.5 million that was supposed to pay for housing. 

The province says the housing money was only delayed and that it will be spent this year, leaving almost $4 million left over in last year's budget.

Party leaders critical

Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Steven Myers called the under spending a 'shell game.' 

“When our Caucus first raised this issue in the House last spring the minister insisted that this was a good news story. Now we know that was just spin to hide the fact that millions of dollars were secretly cut from the budget that could have helped vulnerable Islanders,“ said Myers.

“These budget shell games are insulting to taxpayers, to Islanders in need, and to front line public servants trying to help with both hands tied behind their back.”

The leaders of the NDP and Green Party agree. 

NDP leader Mike Redmond said the government could do more to help people in tough times. 

"Failing to move out over five million dollars to Island families shows there is something very wrong in the management of the government," said Redmond.

Meanwhile, Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker said it was shameful that $5 million was unspent when one in five Island children lives with food insecurity.

"It shows how uncoordinated and dysfunctional intergovernmental communication is, and demonstrates a very warped sense of priorities of the government as a whole," said Bevan-Baker.

'People are going hungry'

There's no shortage of things the money should have been spent on, says Ann Wheatley of the Cooper Institute, a development education group.

"To me, it's wrong that money would go back into the general coffers just to balance the budget on the backs of people who could use that kind of support, could use investment in affordable housing in this province. People don't have enough dental coverage in this province, and we know that people are going hungry," said Wheatley.

Requests for an interview with Community Services minister Valerie Docherty were referred to the Department of Finance.

Last year, Docherty said she said fewer people were requiring social assistance, and no one who qualified was turned away.