On August 16, 2024, Ombudsperson Marc-André Dowd sent a letter to the Minister Responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action, Chantal Rouleau. In it, he commented on the draft Regulation to amend the Individual and Family Assistance Regulation. The purpose of the draft regulation is to establish a supplement whose amount corresponds to 10% of the portion of work income in excess of the allowable exclusion without decreasing the benefit.
From the outset, Mr. Dowd approved the introduction of a measure designed to increase the disposable income of last-resort financial assistance recipients who are working and to encourage them to work more.
However, he noted that the proposed supplement, added to the benefit, is insufficient. At present, recipients can have monthly earnings of $200 ($300 for a couple) without their benefit being reduced. These amounts have not been indexed since 1999 to take account of cost-of-living increases and the minimum wage. In view of this, the supplement will not provide a real incentive for working.
The proposed measure should therefore be reviewed with a view to the goal of encouraging work and increasing disposable income. The Ombudsperson made a recommendation accordingly.
