'Slap in the face': $30-a-month income support increases in Sask. budget not enough, advocates say

The Saskatchewan government included modest increases to some income assistance programs in its latest budget, but advocates say they aren't nearly enough.

The provincial government released its budget for the next fiscal year Wednesday. It committed to increasing the monthly allowances for several Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) benefits — adult basic, shelter and alternative heating — as well as the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID), by $30 per month each.

SAID recipients will continue paying for other expenses, such as utilities, said Finance Minister Donna Harpauer. Any utility rate increases will be baked into their monthly allowance.

"Any increase we're able to make has to be affordable and sustainable going forward to the future," Gene Makowsky, minister of social services, told reporters Wednesday.

The ministry of social services — which is responsible for income support, affordable housing and supports for people with disabilities, among other things — is slated to receive about $1.4 billion next fiscal year, third-most behind the education and health ministries.

Of that, $26.6 million will be spent on supports for people with low incomes, families and seniors, including the increases to the income support and SAID programs.

Meara Conway, social services critic for the Opposition NDP, described the increases — particularly to the SIS program — as "a slap in the face." She said she expects the extra $30 will be spent on utilities.

Conway also expressed concern that child poverty rates will increase, and people's mental health and addictions will worsen.

Advocates agreed.

"It is movement, but it's disappointing how little that movement is," said Peter Gilmer, an advocate with the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry. He said he had hoped for an increase of $300 per month for income support recipients.

Gilmer said he is concerned that there are no additional supports to help assistance recipients cover utility costs, noting that many people getting money from the program already don't get enough to cover their rent.

The increase to SAID recipients — people with disabilities — is also inadequate, he said, because the monthly allowance stagnated for eight years and, in that time, there have been cuts to other types of supports recipients would use.

"People are much worse off on the SAID program than they were in 2015," Gilmer said.

Marina Pelletier, who receives money through the SAID program, was offended by the extra $30 per month.

"Just $30 is basically a slap across the face," Pelletier said. "You might as well have slapped us all across the face and said, 'You're getting nothing.'"

Pelletier has been on the SAID program for about five years, she said. She described her life as a daily struggle, where she constantly stresses about where her next meal will come from and whether she will have enough money to get her through the month — including paying for personal hygiene products.

Sometimes she skips meals so her family can eat, she said.

Pelletier said she would have hoped for at least $100 extra per month.

The budget listed other increases and commitments as well.

The maximum monthly benefit for the Seniors Income Plan (SIP) will rise by $30 per month, to $360.

The personal care home benefit will increase by up to $400 per month.

SAID recipients younger than 65 who live in personal care homes will receive up to $684 more per month.

The ministry will spend part of a $7.7-million allotment to support two Indigenous-led pilot projects that provide supportive housing and wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness in Saskatoon and Regina.

It will spend $656,000 to try out providing "lower-barrier" income assistance outreach services to "high-need clients," in hopes that it can help people get on a path to financial stability through community-based organizations, the budget says.

The government is not offering anything like the $500 cheques sent to taxpayers last year as part of the province's affordability plan to help with the rising cost of living.

Harpauer said the budget includes other measures. She noted income tax indexing — an economic tool that adjusts the various tax rates in response to inflation, ensuring a person's tax refund still holds purchasing power.

"Some of that is kind of invisible, because you don't think about it when you do it," Harpauer said.