We will now go to income security. Minister, did you wish to switch out your witnesses?

Yes, please, Madam Chair. I'd like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witness in, and then our deputy minister will step out for this section.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please assist the witnesses. Minister, will you please introduce your witness?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope the camera saw the Sergeant-at-Arms diligently cleaning the area and disinfecting it for our new witness, to show that we are following the COVID protocols. I would like to introduce Mr. Mike Saturnino. He is the assistant deputy minister of Labour. Thank you.

Welcome. Members, we are going to start income security, beginning on page 44, with information items on page 47. Questions? Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am looking at student financial assistance, and I was hoping I could just get some explanation as to, on page 45, the changes in budget. I see we've revised the main estimates, the $17 million, and then we once again are keeping that increased number at $17,059,000. Is that due to a change in the SFA program, an increase in money, or is that due to an increase in students? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. That's due to the increased support for students in response to COVID-19. We had supports this year, and they are rolling over into next year, as well. There's also an increase in student loan fund valuation allowance. If anyone would like to know what that is, I can get the assistant deputy minister of Corporate Services to answer. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Shannon.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was hoping I could also get a similar explanation for Income Assistance. I see it is increasing by $4 million from this present fiscal's revised main estimates. However, I see, if you actually go back two years, it's about the same amount. My understanding is that Income Assistance is always somewhat oversubscribed. Is this number more a correction of what the Income Assistance budget should be, or are we expecting a $4 million increase in the amount of Income Assistance due to, perhaps, the economic downturn caused by COVID-19? Can I just get some explanation for that $4 million increase? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. The Member points out that, if you look at the 2019-2020 actuals, it is similar to the number that is in the budget this year. That's because every year Income Assistance is oversubscribed, and the department has to come back for a supplementary appropriation. After a few years of that happening over and over again, we were now able to build it into the budget. The actual budget more accurately reflects what we are spending. This is as the Member stated, perhaps, a correction, because we know every year that we are going to go over, and now our budget reflects that expectation. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understand that we are creating two separate Income Assistance streams or three, one for seniors, one for persons with disabilities, and then there will be the normal Income Assistance remaining there. Can I just get an update on the progress of that work and when we expect those new streams to actually come into force? Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. The Member is correct. That is something that is in the mandate, and it's part of a larger Income Assistance review. For some detail on timelines, I can ask Mr. Saturnino to elaborate. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Saturnino.

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe the department used to do annual Income Assistance reports. Perhaps they still do, and I just can't find them online. What I would like to see is, in light of us doing this new work, a breakdown of how many Income Assistance clients fit into seniors, how many fit into disabilities, and how many fit into the third category of other people on Income Assistance. Does the Minister have those figures? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.