Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ECE. Can the Minister confirm if there is a maximum of $600 per month for single individuals for rent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can confirm that there is not a $600 cap for rent payable for Income Assistance clients. There was a cap that was changed back in April of 2018. I think, at that time, the cap for single individuals was $900, but that is long since gone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for that. Can the Minister commit to having his department ensure that residents are eligible for rental subsidies that meet the actual cost of the market rent in the community where they applied?
If a client is eligible for Income Assistance, then they are eligible for the rent and other utilities. It's not a commitment I need to make; it's something that's in the legislation currently.
With the answers of the previous two, will the Minister commit to making sure that his departments are giving accurate information out to clients, or doing some type of information for us as MLAs, or other agencies that may be helping clients with different instances like income support, because we are the Integrated Case Management workers, so that we can make sure we can provide the right information as well?
The Member has brought this issue to my attention, and the department is going to look into what's happening in the Beaufort-Delta, follow up there, and find out where this information's coming from. A lot of this information is publicly available. I can have it sent to the Member, but there is a plain language handbook online, and there is actually the policy manual used in the offices available online, as well, that has the legislation in there, and the description of how that legislation is interpreted. I can share all of that for the Members because I know, as a Regular Member, especially, one who is always in their constituency, you get a lot of Income Assistance questions and concerns. My copies in my constituency office are well worn.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for providing that, although the majority of the people that are usually helping clients in our communities, sometimes, they don't have access to computers, and sometimes they don't have access to providing this material. I have one last question. Will the Minister commit to have his department work with the rental companies, to be able to meet the rental application for the financial commitment? Thank you.
That is something that is supposed to happen, and I will follow up and make sure that that is happening. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
