COVID, CERB and Social Assistance in Ontario – Reinstating benefits to those who lost them after receiving emergency relief payments

Ontario’s indecision over how to treat federal income support for workers on social assistance during the COVID-19 crisis has caused at least one person with disabilities to lose his benefits, including drug and medical coverage, the Star has learned.“We’ve been warning the government this would happen,” said Kyle Vose, co-chair of the ODSP Action Coalition which advocates on behalf of people receiving Ontario Disability Support Program benefits.“That’s why we issued our open letter April 7, urging Ontario to exempt CERB benefits from social assistance,” he said Saturday.Sault Ste. Marie mother Karen Andrews said she was “shocked” this month when her son was told by his ODSP worker that his benefits were being suspended because he received the $2,000 Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB).“Doug Ford keeps saying nobody will be left behind,” said Andrews, whose 27-year-old son has been receiving ODSP benefits for almost a decade due to a debilitating chronic pain condition that prevents him from working full time.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story @ Ontario tells social assistance caseworkers to reinstate benefits to those who lost them after receiving emergency relief payments | The Star