British Columbia’s Ministry of Social Development says nearly all social assistance payments were distributed in November amid the Canada Post strike, and it is ready to deliver another round of cheques later this month if job action continues.
In a statement to CBC News issued Tuesday, Sheila Malcolmson, B.C.’s minister of social development and poverty reduction, said 98 per cent of the ministry’s overall assistance payments had been distributed by Nov. 30.
The statement came after the office of B.C. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke said he was investigating the ministry’s distribution of hard-copy cheques following reports that thousands of November social assistance cheques were not delivered.
In a statement issued Dec. 6, the ombudsperson said “last week the ministry indicated that 40 per cent of November’s hard-copy cheques still had not been delivered.”
The ministry said Tuesday that the vast majority of payments were done electronically through direct deposit and that 40 per cent of mailed cheques remained in office as of Nov. 22. That number was reduced to 10 per cent — or two per cent of all payments by month’s end, it said.
“The remaining two per cent of overall payments is consistent with the normal number of payments that are unclaimed every month,” the ministry said, adding that it will work to connect with clients to deliver the small number of remaining cheques.
Ministry says it’s ready for next round of payments
Speaking to CBC’s On The Coast Tuesday, Chalke said the next social payment date is Dec. 18. He hopes that lessons learned last month will be applied in December, which is particularly important given the number of statutory holidays later in the month.
He said his office is at the “front end” of an investigation and hasn’t formed any conclusions.
“We just wanted the public to know that we do have eyes on this, that it’s important for people to have confidence that there will be a review once this is all over and a public report,” Chalke said.
The ministry said it is ready for the Dec. 18 payment date should there be a need to distribute cheques normally delivered by Canada Post.
According to the province, 85 per cent of payments are done through direct deposit and unaffected by the postal strike. Of the remaining payments, six per cent are cheques sent to ministry offices for pickup, and nine per cent are mailed cheques.
During the postal strike, mailed payments are directed to ministry offices for pickup. Recipients who are unable to pick up their cheques are offered alternatives, including having them delivered by courier or ministry staff.
Postal strike nears 4-week mark
The strike by more than 55,000 postal workers is approaching the four-week mark.
On Wednesday, Canada Post said the union’s new demands are unaffordable and unsustainable and claimed they would cost more than $3 billion over four years at a time when the postal service is struggling financially.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers pushed back on Canada Post’s earlier criticism of its latest proposals in a bulletin to members Tuesday evening, giving a list of proposals it said are meant to bring the two parties closer together.
Canada Post said Monday that the union’s proposals widen the gap between the two parties and that, in some cases, the union has increased its demands.
The union said its latest proposals included wage increases below what were previously demanded, as well as a cost-of-living allowance and better job security.