![Legislature hears more complaints about Saskatchewan Income Support](https://globalnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/frank-francouer.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&w=720&h=379&crop=1)
Legislature hears more complaints about Saskatchewan Income Support
Global News
A client told reporters he has less money to spend on necessities on SIS than he did on Saskatchewan's previous program, and that he's now received an eviction notice at his home.
The Saskatchewan opposition joined a Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) client Thursday to again call on the provincial government to change the social assistance program and increase its benefit rates.
Frank Francoeur is a father of two who transitioned to SIS from the Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) last August,
Francouer, who says he went on social assistance after going through a divorce and also suffers from mental health problems, told reporters he has less money to cover basic costs of living at the end of the month on SIS than he did on SAP.
He adds he recently received a notice of eviction at his Regina Housing Authority (RHA) home and says both SIS and RHA practices are to blame.
The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, which oversees RHA, typically subsidizes housing for its clients by charging them 30 per cent of their household income.
For clients on welfare, however, this method is not used if that client is receiving more money for shelter through a social assistance program such as SIS or the former SAP program.
In the case of SIS, the Saskatchewan Housing Authority also takes into account “household costs” when setting rent levels.
In the case of Francoeur, who receives a $975 benefit through SIS, this means his rent increased from $761 to $945 when he transitioned from SAP to SIS.