Belanger Defends Social Assistance Increases
Friday, April 27, 2007 at 13:20
Saskatchewan’s Community Resources minister admits the province is walking a fine line when it comes to helping people on welfare.
Increases to social assistance and the transitional employment allowance announced in last month’s budget will kick in next week.
Buckley Belanger knows there are some who wonder if it’s a good idea to boost the level of funding given to welfare clients when the province is trying to get people off social assistance.
However, Belanger is confident the province’s Building Independence Strategy will continue to yield results.
Statistics provided by the department show the province’s social assistance caseload has dropped 31 per cent since the strategy was introduced in 1997.
In the North, there are 16 per cent fewer cases than there were 10 years ago.