Regional councillors defer decision

Want more input on discretionary benefits budget

WATERLOO REGION — Councillors have deferred a decision on Waterloo Region’s discretionary benefits program to look more closely at the support given to residents on social assistance.

A committee will be formed of regional councillors who will get input from staff and the community, then report back with recommendations in October.

“At least we would have more information and a better understanding of the impacts,” said Coun. Geoff Lorentz, chair of the community services committee.

He suggested forming the ad hoc committee at the Tuesday meeting to “take a deeper dive” into the issue and get more input rather than immediately make a decision on the staff report presented.

This year’s budget for the Ontario Works discretionary benefits program — administered by the region and funded partly by the province to provide a range of health and other benefits to recipients of Ontario Works or disability support — totals $5 million.

Council approved a one-time boost of $400,000 this year to deal with increased demand, while asking staff to review the program and provide options for ways to manage the program within the allocated funding.

The staff report outlined two options that would take effect Jan. 1. The first option remained within the base budget by making several cuts, including reducing funding for the food hamper program, discontinuing the bus ticket program for appointments with case workers, and discontinuing the furniture and appliance repair benefit — cutting $435,000 from the budget.

The second option proposed a permanent increase to the budget by taking $435,000 from the property tax levy.

Lone delegate Eric Goldberg, executive director of the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre, said he appreciated the region’s support for discretionary benefits, and urged council not to take away or reduce those but to look for other ways to manage costs.

“The results should focus on people being no worse off,” said Goldberg, adding that he endorsed a permanent increase to the budget to maintain what’s been offered for the past few years.

“Our clients have many barriers to access,” Goldberg said.

That means even a small amount of financial assistance can make a big difference for someone living on a low income, he

said. For instance, the centre fundraises to pay for client prescriptions.

“Normally, they wouldn’t fill their prescriptions,” Goldberg said.

Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig asked Goldberg if he thought the timing of the meeting in summer hampered the number of delegations who were able to come speak, and wondered if it would be better to deal with the issue later. Goldberg agreed there likely would be more public input if the issue was considered in the fall.

Coun. Tom Galloway said Lorentz’s suggestion to defer a decision was a good one. A lot of time has been spent on discussing discretionary benefits at budget time over the past few years, he said, but perhaps not enough for such an important topic.

“Maybe it doesn’t get the full attention it deserves within that process,” Galloway said.

“A lot of the solutions that we may be looking for are going to come from the community. And so more time for that to happen, I think, is a good thing.”

Several councillors said it was unfortunate that findings from a current pilot project aimed at improving the region’s affordable transit program for low-income residents would not be available in time to consider in the discussion.

Discretionary benefits go toward a variety of programs such as food hampers, adult dental care, interpreter services, eviction prevention, bus tickets, and energy bill assistance.

“Without a doubt, this is a challenge,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, adding that a society is often measured by how it looks after those who have the greatest challenges.

“All of us need to reflect on that in a significant way as we deal with this,” he said. “We are seeing the kinds of things that can happen in communities, and countries not that far from our own, when the split between the have and the have-nots grows too much.”

Lorentz pointed out that the province is currently looking at social assistance reforms, and “who knows what might come out of Queen’s Park in the next month or so.”

Coun. Sean Stickland supported the deferral to avoid creating “policy on the fly.”

“I think this is an opportunity for us to look at this a little bit more deeply,” Strickland said. “I believe it deserves a little more attention.”

Regional Chair Ken Seiling said that over the years the region has had a “very generous approach to discretionary benefits,” which was more feasible when the province shared in more of the cost before rules changed in 2012 and funding was capped.

Seiling cautioned councillors: “At the end of the day, we can’t have a wide open, unlimited approach to social services. There has to be a budget of some kind.”