Answer: Welfare (a.k.a social assistance or income assistance) is a serious, last-resort safety net that provides funding for the basic necessities of life to those who cannot earn an income. While most applicants should view the program as a temporary bridge, for some applicants it may be a long-term requirement.
Administered provincially, income assistance programs are designed somewhat differently in every province and territory, with different criteria established for eligibility. In some instances, income assistance is considered long-term and unavoidable, such as in the cases of disabled persons or seniors.
Programs operate under a variety of departments and names, such as in Ontario, it is known as Ontario Works. In British Columbia, it falls under the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance. In Alberta, it is called Income Support under Alberta Human Resources and Employment ministry.
The following are fairly standard components of all income assistance programs in Canada:
- Recipients should regard income assistance as a last resort when all other avenues of assistance have failed.
- Recipients should be prepared to seek assistance from relatives prior to seeking social assistance.
- Recipients should be prepared to divulge every source of income, including salary, child benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, pensions, disability pensions, etc.
- Recipients should be prepared to report all sources of extraordinary income, such as an inheritance or the sale of an automobile or any other possession.
- Recipients should be prepared to work, look for work or enlist in a job-training program or education upgrading to prepare them for moving off of welfare as soon as possible.
- Recipients should be prepared to report to a social worker or financial assistance worker (FAW) at regular intervals or when requested to do so by an income assistance representative.
- Recipients should be prepared to produce a range of documents supporting their request for assistance, including Social Insurance Number; driver’s licence, passport, citizenship papers, healthcare card and recent rent and utility receipts.
In an effort to reduce welfare fraud, provinces and territories frequently prosecute recipients who fail to divulge accurate information about their income or assets, so be completely upfront and honest if you have to apply for this resource.