Provincial Auditor Tara Clemett in a file photo (CJME)

By Susan McNeil

Politics

Provincial auditor says 60 per cent of calls to Income Support go unanswered

Jun 6, 2023 | 1:12 PM

Most of the people who call the Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) program never get anyone to answer, the Provincial Auditor said today in a report.

In six months, over 255,000 calls were made to the SIS phone line and more than 60 per cent were unanswered. It’s a problem the NDP opposition says they warned the government about.

“Clients, landlords, social workers, anti-poverty advocates, municipalities and now the provincial auditor have all identified that this program is failing and leading to more evictions and homelessness,” said Meara Conway, the NDP social services critic.

“How many more people have to come forward before this government acknowledges they screwed up, scraps this failed program and replaces it with something that works?”

The NDP said that the province was told changes to the program would lead to utility arrears, more evictions, and more homelessness.

Missing person

Battlefords RCMP seeking help in locating missing teen

May 18, 2024

World Championships

Power, Cozens lead Canada to 5-3 win over Finland at hockey worlds

May 18, 2024

Starbucks Coming

Starbucks is coming to North Battleford

May 17, 2024

Auditor Tara Clemett made six recommendations in her report, released today, including that the ministry should make computers available to clients at every SIS office while also making sure there is enough in-person help and a call-back function should be added to their phone system.

“People experiencing difficult circumstances in struggling to meet their basic needs require clear and accessible ways to apply for income assistance,” Clemett said.

The Social Services Ministry also needs to analyze client evictions and unpaid utility bill data and find ways to address them.

Conway cited Clemett’s findings that over 5,200 SIS clients have unpaid SaskEnergy and SaskPower bills worth about $4.2 million as of this past February.

Clients should have regular meetings with case workers and be referred to other supports like employment services or counselling when it is needed.

As well, they need to find out how well the program works by measuring how long some clients stay on SIS along with the proportion of clients leaving the service and then coming back.

The ministry looks at applications within five business days, 90 per cent of the time, said Clemett, but it needs to work on making itself accessible, streamline client supports and deal with missed client appointments.

“If something isn’t working, and everyone tells you it’s not working — and you have the numbers that show it’s not working — you get to work and you fix the problem. Instead, we have a government that is content to sit on its hands and simply parrot the slogan growth that works for everyone,” said Conway.

—

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com