For Immediate Release: October 12, 2021
New Saskatchewan Income Support Program driving evictions and homelessness
REGINA - In light of increasing rental arrears, evictions and homelessness among Social Services Saskatchewan Income Support clients, Meara Conway, Critic for Social Services, Housing and Human Rights wrote the Social Services Minister Lori Carr to call on the province to suspend the SIS program, return to direct payments of rent to landlords and work on comprehensive housing strategy to connect those in need with supports and shelter they need before winter.
“This government is unbelievably out of touch with the chaos they caused by cutting supports during an unprecedented pandemic and transitioning over to the Saskatchewan Income Support Program,” said Conway. “The minister says she doesn’t know how many people transitioned to the SIS program or how many people fell through the cracks. She doesn’t know how many clients are assigned to a social worker, doesn’t know that clients are waiting 4-5 hours on the phone to reach their social worker. This is the Minister’s job.”
The Sask. Party government was warned years in advance that this exact situation would occur should they continue forward with the transition over to the Saskatchewan Income Support program. Social service workers, landlords, housing and anti-poverty advocates all warned the government of this potential outcome for months, but in what has become a pattern of behaviour for this government, they ignored the advice and warnings from those who knew best.
“We are approaching winter and we are facing unprecedented evictions and homelessness. People are setting up tents outside. These are people, human beings, and Minister Carr chalks this up to “growing pains” of a new program. We’re one month in and it’s an unmitigated disaster,” said Conway. “Come down to Pepsi Park, Minister Carr, see the results of your cuts to income assistance for our most vulnerable. I hope that after that you’ll have a change of heart.”
Saskatchewan New Democrats are calling for:
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Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.