Ontario Works caseloads level off

By NATHAN TAYLOR Orillia Packet and Times January 31 2011
The number of people relying on social services from Simcoe County is increasing, but not at the rate it was rising during the peak of the recession.
The county’s budget was recently approved, and officials have projected the average monthly caseload for Ontario Works to be 8,370.
“I don’t think we’ll see that,” said Jamie Moran, the county’s director of social services. “So far, we are not seeing that increase to that level,.”
The caseload is about 7,300.
The most dramatic spike in cases started in late 2008. Between December 2008 and December 2009, the number of cases went from 5,062 to 6,673 — almost a 32% increase.
Typically, in a recession, the county would see a job-market decline, then a delay, followed by applications for social assistance.
“In this recession, we saw people applying almost immediately,” Moran said. “We have seen people apply through this recession who have never applied before.”
Unlike a lot of clients, many of the new applicants had life savings and owned their own homes when the recession hit, he added.
“They came to us thinking that we were going to be able to support them through the recession.”
But the rates were low, and the county wasn’t able to provide sustainable funding to many.
The rates are still hard to get by on.
A single person can receive a maximum $364 per month for shelter and $221 for basic allowance. A couple with one child can get a maximum $620 per month for shelter and $574 for basic allowance.
“It’s difficult, if not impossible, for someone to pay their rent and to live on social assistance, especially with what the rent is in Simcoe County,” Moran said.The county is anticipating “continual increases” in the caseload throughout this year. That could be due to various factors, but one reason is the fact more people are seeing their employment insurance (EI) expire.
“The traditional recall back to work isn’t happening,” Moran said.
In 2009, an estimated 2.3% of county residents were receiving social assistance. Provincially, it was 3.3%.
“It’s significant, but it’s still a small percentage of the population,” Moran said. “We have a long way to go with regard to economic growth in our area. There is some light at the end of the tunnel. We see some levelling off with regard to the caseload.”
COST SHARING
Social-assistance costs are shared between the county and the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. That cost-sharing arrangement will see little change in 2011 over the previous year.
In 2010, the county covered 46%, Barrie covered 42% and Orillia’s share was 12%.
Proposed for this year, Orillia’s share will remain the same, the county will pick up an additional 1% and Barrie’s share will
drop 1%.
The province has committed to cover 100% of Ontario Works client benefits by 2018. The administration costs will remain a 50-50 split.
The current arrangement for client benefits has the county covering 20%, while the province provides for the remaining 80%.
The uploading began late last year and will continue incrementally until 2018.
This year, the province will cover 81.2% of the cost of benefits.
The projected gross expenditures for the Ontario Works program in 2011 are almost $90 million.
NEW PROGRAM
The county is welcoming a new program this year that will be fully funded by the province.
For the “addiction services initiative,” the county has a contract with Mental Health and Addiction Services of Simcoe County to provide one-on-one counselling.
The service is available in all of the county’s five satellite offices, including Alliston, Collingwood, Midland, Orillia and Barrie.
“We can now do immediate referrals to our counsellors and there are no wait lists any longer,” Moran said. “Our clients would sit on lengthy wait lists to access these services.”
The province has provided $495,000 in ongoing funding for the program.