Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 3-17(5) asked by Mr. Bromley on November 7, 2013, regarding the cost of income support and related income security programs.

1. What is the current annual cost to administer

each of the 16 income assistance and other income security programs mentioned in point 2 on page 5 of the recent Auditor General’s Income Security Program Review? For the purposes of this question, “cost to administer” is defined as GNWT salaries, overhead for office space, travel, per diems and other program delivery-related expenses.

2. What are the current total annual payments

made to clients under each of the 16 income assistance and other income security programs mentioned in the recent Auditor General’s program review?

3. How many clients do each of the 16 income

assistance and other income security programs mentioned in the recent Auditor General’s program review assist annually?

Income Assistance

Income Assistance (IA) provides financial assistance to help people meet their basic needs, including child care costs. There were 3,188 distinct cases in 2012-13 and the total payments made that year amounted to $16.2 million. IA distinct cases refer to family units that consist of one head of household and any number of dependents. The cost to administer IA, and the integrated child care user subsidy and seniors home heating subsidy, which includes wages, travel expenses, per diems and lease costs for space in small and remote communities, was $3.465 million. Specific office costs for regional service centres are not available as the centres deliver multiple programs and services.

Child Care User Subsidy

The child care user subsidy (CCUS) is a benefit under Income Assistance and no longer a separate income security program. The cost to administer the CCUS and payments to clients are integrated into Income Assistance.

Student Financial Assistance

Student Financial Assistance (SFA) provides financial assistance to post-secondary NWT students through a combination of grants and loans. There were 1,508 students that received a total of $15.9 million in SFA in 2012-13. The cost to administer SFA, including wages, travel expenses and per diems but not the cost of office space, was $661,000 in 2012-13.

Cost of Living Tax Credit

The refundable cost of living tax credit reduces the amount of tax individuals have to pay and is available to all territorial income tax filers. In 2012-13 this tax reduction amounted to $21.551 million. All personal income tax payers in the NWT receive this benefit. The annual cost to administer this tax expenditure program is not available.

NWT Child Benefit and Territorial Worker Supplement

The NWT Child Benefit and Territorial Worker Supplement programs both provide low-income families with monthly cash payments to assist with the costs of raising children. The Government of Canada administers these benefits on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). A total of $1.5 million was paid out to 1,911 clients in 2012-13. The annual administrative cost for the NWT Child Benefit and Territorial Worker Supplement programs is not available.

Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit

The senior citizen supplementary benefit provides financial assistance to help low-income seniors pay for living costs. The Government of Canada administers this support on behalf of the GNWT. A total of $2.1 million was paid out to 1,081 individual seniors. The annual administrative cost for this program is not available.

Senior Home Heating Subsidy

The senior home heating subsidy provides financial assistance to low-income seniors to help them with the cost of heating their homes. Support is granted either as a direct payment to heating fuel supplier or as reimbursement of heating fuel expenses. A total of $1.3 million was provided to 442 senior households in 2012-13. The administration cost for this program is included in the administration cost for Income Assistance.

Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief

The senior citizens’ and disabled persons’ property tax relief helps seniors and people with disabilities pay less or no property tax. In 2013 a total of $531,421 was paid out in property tax rebates to 547 recipients in the municipal taxation area communities of Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells and Yellowknife. As well, 170 recipients elsewhere in the territory got paid a total of $70,087 in property tax rebates in 2012-13. The annual administrative cost for this program is not available.

Supplementary Health Benefits

Supplementary health benefits are provided to eligible territorial residents. Benefits include eligible prescription drugs, appliances, supplies, prostheses, and certain medical travel expenses. In 2012-13 a total of $10.1 million was granted to

eligible territorial residents in supplementary health benefits. Between January 1 and December 31, 2013, 488 clients received indigent health benefits, 1,354 clients received Metis health benefits, 2,083 clients received extended benefits for seniors and 1,354 clients received extended health benefits for specified diseases. Some of these clients legitimately received benefits under more than one program. Some of the supplementary health benefits are administered directly by the GNWT and some by a contractor on behalf of the GNWT. In 2012-13 medical travel benefits, after recoveries from third parties, amounted to $8.2 million. The number of medical travel clients, other than air ambulance, in 2012-13 was 5,093. Medical travel benefits are administered by the health authorities. The general operating cost for the medical travel office, which excludes office costs and overhead, amounted to $1.3 million in 2012-13. Details on annual administrative cost for other supplementary health benefits is not available.

Territorial Power Subsidy

The territorial power subsidy is automatically factored into regular billings for eligible general service customers of the NWT Power Corporation. In 2012-13 the GNWT provided $5.813 million in subsidies for territorial ratepayers. Information on the number of ratepayers in NWT and the cost to administer the territorial power subsidy is not available. No direct payment is made to clients.

Public Housing Program

The total operating cost of the Public Housing Program was $44.955 million in 2012-13. Tenants paid $5.646 million in rent, which reflects an operating subsidy of $39.309 million. Local housing organizations are funded to administer and maintain 2,379 public housing units. The cost of administration and tenant relations was $6.977 million in 2012-13. No direct payment is made to clients.

Providing Assistance for Territorial Homeownership (PATH)

PATH is a homeownership subsidy program that is provided in the form of forgivable loans. A total of $530,000 was provided in assistance to 10 PATH clients in 2012-13. The program is administered primarily by NWTHC district staff and it is not possible to report the specific amount of time spent on this program.

Contributing Assistance for Repairs and Enhancements (CARE)

CARE is a homeownership repair subsidy program that is provided in the form of forgivable loans. A total of $4.872 million was provided in assistance to 232 CARE clients in 2012.13. The program is administered primarily by NWTHC district staff and it is not possible to report the specific amount of time spent on this program.

Homeownership Entry Level Program (HELP)

HELP is a subsidized rental program that provides residents with the opportunity to transition towards homeownership. There were 172 HELP clients in 2012-13. The total operating cost of HELP was $1.114 million in 2012-13. Tenants paid $1.094 million in rent, which reflects an operating subsidy of $20,000. The program is administered primarily by LHOs, although district staff complete and assess initial program applications. LHOs were provided $28,000 for administration associated with these units in 2012-13. No direct payment is made to clients.

Legal Aid

Legal aid provides support in the form of legal advice and representation for eligible applicants. Legal aid is funded by both the GNWT and the Government of Canada. A total of 1,177 applications for legal aid were approved in 2012-13. Total general operating expenses for legal aid services, excluding office rent and overhead administration, amounted to $5,263,062. No direct payments are made to clients.

4. Could the Minister provide a copy of the latest

Market Basket Measure of poverty for each NWT community or, if not available, a commitment on when this will be available?

5. Prior to the Income Support Program reviews

associated with the Auditor General’s report over the last few years, when was the last comprehensive review of income support programs and what was the title of the report produced on that review?

In the GNWT’s response to the Auditor General’s report on Northwest Territories Income Security programs, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) committed to developing a Northern Basket Measure, in cooperation with the federal government and the NWT Bureau of Statistics, in 2015-16.

The most recent comprehensive review of Income Security programs, prior to the Auditor General’s report, was a multi-stage review conducted by ECE that began in 2004 and concluded in 2006. Three reports were released as a result of the review: the “Income Security Policy Framework” (September 2005), “Community Voices: A Report on the Income Security Consultations in the NWT” (April 2006), and “Income Security: Breaking Down the Barriers of Poverty, Promoting Self-Reliance” (July 2007).