Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Childcare Subsidy Program
Committee members support the Childcare Subsidy Program, which allows low-income earners who are parents to participate in the wage economy or pursue post-secondary studies. There is still concern on how the policy to not provide the subsidy to daycare operators when the child is absent because of sickness or family emergencies is negatively impacting daycare operators. It is noted that if a child is sick, they are not allowed or supposed to attend daycare and that the daycare operating costs remain the same regardless of whether a particular child attends or not. Members believe that stable funding equals a stable daycare operation and that this regressive, punitive policy should be rescinded. We look forward to further discussions on resolving this issue during the review of the 2009–2012 business plans in September 2008.
Income Security Program Reform
During discussions on respite care programs delivered by Health and Social Services authorities it became apparent to members that there was a disconnect between the services offered by the Department of Health and Social Services designed to keep people living in their own homes for as long as possible and the policies that guide the delivery of income security programs. For example, it is possible for a family to hire someone to live with their grandmother to assist in meeting her day-to-day needs without impacting the public housing rental rate she is charged. However, using the example of a granddaughter employed at the Northern Store moving in to assist, Granny’s rental rate would go up dependent on how much the granddaughter made. It seems ludicrous to the committee members that a stranger can move in without penalty, yet a family member is denied the ability to help a loved one without having the family incur extra costs for rent.
There are considerably more costs involved to move someone into a long-term care setting than could be gained through increasing social housing rents in situations like these. The committee is not
advocating a free-for-all approach and believes there is a role for a medical professional to play in determining eligibility and need for home care, to provide ongoing monitoring, and to ensure that such an arrangement is working out.
Recommendation
The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment modify their income security programs to allow employed family members to stay in a family member’s social housing unit without incurring rent increases where such an arrangement would improve quality of life and allow for continued independent living.
Mr. Chairman, I’d like to pass the reading of the document to Ms. Wendy Bisaro.