Larissa Kurz, Regina Leader-Post
Some advocates are skeptical that changes to Saskatchewan’s disability income program will result in increased benefits as promised by ministry officials.
Minister of Social Services Terry Jenson recently announced some adjustments to the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability program (SAID). In addition to restructuring the community and family size tiers for base benefits, the province is also folding several standalone elements into the Living Income Benefit while eliminating others that are “underutilized” come Sept. 1.
Meanwhile, advocates are expressing concern that this revamp may not be entirely positive.
Peter Gilmer of the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry (RAPM) says while many of these moves to simplify the program are welcome, he’s concerned that scrapping supplemental benefits will ultimately equate to a loss for clients.
“I do think that it’s stretching a bit to say that people are going to be better off because I’m just not seeing that,” Gilmer said.
“I can’t honestly say we’ve heard, in our office, people saying, ‘We’re sure glad about these changes.’”
Peter Gilmer of Regina’s Anti-Poverty Ministry
New clients most affected
After reviewing the details available, Gilmer says his math shows that integrating the telephone and disability allowances “basically wipes out the increase” of $80 to $100 per month the ministry says this restructure will deliver, specifically for new clients.
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His concern is shared by a non-profit group called Inclusion Saskatchewan, which provides support and advocacy for those with disabilities.
“Every human is different, and that’s even more true with disability,” said CEO Christina Martens-Funk. “Those specific benefits were there for a reason, because of specific needs people had.”
Gilmer and Martens-Funk both mentioned the household task benefit, which will no longer exist beyond September. That benefit made it possible for people to get help with things around the house or yard, like shovelling snow.
“It is possible that this will make life difficult for those for whom disability is much more complex,” noted Martens-Funk, who also questioned whether “underutilization” is the right way to gauge the usefulness of any specific benefit.
The ministry says benefits are being eliminated because they are used by less than four per cent of clients, or covered by other programs.
“The issue is not whether they’re using the benefits enough,” said Martens-Funk. “It’s that if they do need them, for those people they are really critical.”
Regina client says program is difficult
Charmaine Hartt of Regina has utilized the SAID program since 1996. She rents a room from family and has mobility concerns in addition to chronic illness.
Hartt says any time the province adjusts how benefits are delivered, it creates “chaos” for clients trying to understand how it will impact them.
“It’s the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring,” she said during a July appearance at the Saskatchewan legislature as a guest of the NDP Opposition.
She also stressed that the amount SAID provides now leaves clients like her to live on a tight budget while struggling to connect with case workers.
“I am not given enough to even own my own place,” Hartt said. “I have to fight for basic necessities. I can never reach my workers and, when I call, no one picks up. You leave a message, but they never get back to you.
“They’ve cut me off without explanation, leaving me scrambling with fear and anxiety of how to pay bills, to buy food, where to live.”
Recent adjustments to medical travel coverage don’t allow her to take a cab from the hospital more than once a month, adds Hartt. Her special diet allowance — one of the benefits ending this fall — is limited.
“It’s been getting worse,” she said of the whole program.
While Hartt is not yet sure if the upcoming changes will affect her directly — she’ll be eligible for her pension in August and may be shifted off SAID — she remains worried about the broader shortcomings of the program.
“It’s like they just don’t seem to want to help,” Hartt said.
More work to do, say advocates
Gilmer and Martens-Funk both noted there are positive aspects to the incoming changes, like reducing the paperwork required to access benefits.
They also welcomed the increase in base living allowances for rural clients, expected to be an average of $239 per month.
But in the long term, what would meaningfully bolster SAID is a significant increase to base benefit rates, agreed the two advocates.
People on income assistance in Saskatchewan live “thousands of dollars below the deep poverty line,” Gilmer said.
“We know people don’t have enough, households don’t have enough, especially during this huge growth in the cost of living we’ve seen the last few years.”
Saskatchewan is tied with Nova Scotia for the highest poverty rate among provinces in Canada, according a 2025 report from the National Advisory Council on Poverty.
“We really want to remember the value that disabled people bring to our communities,” added Martens-Funk, “and how important this program is to help ensure that people are active and included in all communities.”
lkurz@postmedia.com
