Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Beaulieu on February 4, 2010, regarding income support services in Lutselk’e.
How many visits did the client service officers make to Lutselk’e in the following years:
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
In 2007-2008, client service officers (CSOs) made two visits to Lutselk’e.
In April 2008, responsibility for the Income Security Program (ISP) delivery was transferred to the North Slave region.
In 2008-2009, a Yellowknife-based CSO made eight visits to Lutselk’e.
In the current fiscal year, 2009-2010 up to February 2010, a Yellowknife-based CSO has made six visits to Lutselk’e.
From November 2008 through July 2009, the community was serviced by an individual who was hired from and resided in the community. That individual has since left the position. Since summer of 2007, a total of six competitions have been run to permanently staff a CSO position. However, no candidates have been successful so far.
In addition to visits, services are available to clients at all times through a Yellowknife CSO by a toll-free telephone. That way a client does not need to wait for a CSO visit to their community to access services.
How many clients were seen during these visits broken down by approvals and refusals?
The department does not track information on the number of income assistance or public housing rental subsidy clients seen by CSOs visiting a community. Instead, ECE records the total number of income assistance and PHRS cases assessed by phone and/or in person on a monthly basis. The average number of cases assessed per month and the total number of cases assessed by fiscal year have been calculated from this information. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the document Lutselk’e Income Assistance and Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program Caseload Statistics 2007-2010.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
