Special Payments Deliver Help Sooner

TORONTO – Ontarians who rely on the province’s social assistance programs will see their first increase in 11 years beginning with a special payment scheduled for early this fall, Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello announced today.

“Some of our most vulnerable citizens have been waiting 11 years for help," said Pupatello.  "This government is providing help when the need is greatest, during the back-to-school season and as the colder weather arrives."

The province will provide two equal lump-sum payments to eligible people who rely on Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) until the government’s three per cent rate increase can be fully implemented.  The special payments will provide extra assistance while the province’s social assistance technology is being updated to deliver the rate increase to clients province-wide.

This is the first rate increase since the new technology that delivers social assistance was fully implemented across the province in 2002.  The current system cannot process a rate increase until system changes are made and properly tested.  This will be completed by March 2005.

The first special payment will be delivered at the end of September for ODSP recipients and the beginning of October for OW recipients.  The second special payment will be delivered at the end of November for ODSP recipients and the beginning of December for OW recipients.

The special payments honour a commitment by the McGuinty government to give social assistance recipients their first increase in more than a decade.

"We know there's more work to be done.  But this is an important first step in building a sustainable social safety net that helps people succeed, promotes family stability, and helps kids get the best start in life," said Pupatello.

Social assistance recipients will also be able to keep the federal government's July 2004 increase to the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) this year.  In the past, the federal government's yearly increase to the NCBS was deducted from social assistance payments.  This means an extra $7 million this year for parents who need it the most.

The government is also acting on its Throne Speech commitment to restore the nutritional allowance for pregnant women on social assistance.  This will be implemented beginning in July 2004.