Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now the rates are not intended to cover 100 percent of the seniors' heating costs. They aim to help with 80 percent of the heating costs. In early last year, there was a review done on the seniors' home heating subsidy, and it was done to review the amount that was being provided to seniors and to see what we could do from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in order to either increase that amount or create certainty for seniors. And so what was done at that point was providing costs over the month to seniors in order to ensure that they weren't running out in the coldest months of the year and so providing more certainty. And at that point, when we looked at what we were able to do, we put a little bit more money into the funding. Those funds then were able to be absorbed within the department. And if there's any desire to see additional funding going into the seniors' home heating subsidy on behalf of Members or on behalf of the public, it would need to be additional funds to the program that would need to be approved through the Legislative Assembly because we've stretched our budget as far as possible from within the department. Thank you.
Caitlin Cleveland on Question 73-20(1): Senior Home Heating Subsidy Program
In the Legislative Assembly on February 21st, 2024. See this statement in context.
Question 73-20(1): Senior Home Heating Subsidy Program
Oral Questions
February 21st, 2024
Page 154
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