Income assistance program for vulnerable Albertans lacks oversight, auditor general finds

Alberta's auditor general says improved oversight is needed to monitor a program that provides financial assistance to thousands of people living in poverty. 

Auditor General Doug Wylie says the province doesn't publicly report whether people receiving income support benefits are getting enough money to meet their basic needs. A report his office released on Tuesday also says the income support program isn't tracking how people are faring in the medium or long term.

"You're going to be hearing more from this office about accountability," Wylie said in an interview on Tuesday.

He said that without gathering and analyzing better information, such as how many participants stayed employed in the long term, or found child-care for their kids, the province will have no idea whether the program is meeting its goals.

Alberta taxpayers deserve to know if the programs they pay for are effective, and the vulnerable people who rely on the program need assistance that's working, Wylie said.

The report also examines two other areas: the financial operations of Alberta's post-secondary institutions, and challenges in meeting the needs of patients living with chronic disease.

Alberta's Income Support program provides financial help to people who can't meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.

Clients fall into two categories: "Expected to work" includes those who are looking for work, or are working but not earning enough to meet basic needs. "Barriers to full employment" clients have difficulty working due to hurdles such as chronic health issues. 

A government spokesperson said as of February, there were 34,481 cases in the "expected to work" category, and 17,511 cases with barriers to full employment.

The program is administered by the department of Seniors, Community and Social Services, which paid out more than $580 million in Income Support payments in 2022-23.

The province has changed how it tracks client numbers over time. But the government is spending less on the benefits than it has in the past. In 2019-20, clients received nearly $807 million in support payments.

Last year, the province increased clients' monthly benefits to better keep pace with inflation. Monthly payments for individuals with barriers to full employment increased from $919 to $959, and from $790 to $824 for people who are expected to work. 

The program supported an average of 46,536 cases per month in 2022-23, an increase of 7.3 per cent from the year before.

Wylie previously evaluated the Income Support program in a 2019 report that highlighted a series of case management issues and operational problems at the program.