Province of Manitoba | Year One (2007/08)

Rewarding Work investments in 2007/08 are helping low-income Manitobans in three areas:

HELP LOW-INCOME WORKING FAMILIES

MANITOBA CHILD BENEFIT

Effective January 2008, the Manitoba Child Benefit (MCB) replaced the Child Related Income Support Program (CRISP). The MCB provides monthly benefits to help families needing assistance with the cost of raising children. Under the MCB, maximum monthly benefits increased to $35 per child, benefits are available to families at higher income levels, and assets are no longer to be considered when calculating eligibility for benefits.

Visit the Manitoba Child Benefit webpage for information on eligibility criteria, allowable income ranges and how to apply.

MANITOBA CHILD CARE PROGRAM

Child care fees, already the second-lowest in Canada, have been reduced for subsidized family and an increased number of families can now receive subsidized care. In April 2007, the non-subsidized parent portion of child care fees was reduced by 17 per cent from $2.40 to $2.00 per day. The income parents can earn to qualify for subsidy was increased by 13 per cent, which means more children are now eligible for subsidy and low-income working families are paying less for licensed child care.

Visit Child Care Online for more information on the Manitoba Child Care Program.

SUPPORT PEOPLE TO TRANSITION FROM WELFARE TO WORK

ENHANCED WORK INCENTIVES
Enhancements to Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) work incentives were introduced in January 2008 to help people make the transition from EIA to work and to complement the federal Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB). Current work incentives have been enhanced by doubling the existing basic exemption from $100 ($115 for single parents) to $200 of net monthly earnings. In addition, income assistance recipients keep 30 per cent of net monthly earnings in excess of $200 (up from 25 per cent for non-disabled recipients).

For more information on how the enhanced incentives will impact your income assistance benefits, contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

JOB SEEKERS' ALLOWANCE

Beginning in February 2008 an allowance of $25 per month is being provided to non-disabled single adults and childless couples receiving Employment and Income Assistance who are actively participating in an employment plan or who are working. This incentive is intended to help those participants actively prepare and search for a job.

For more information on how the Job Seekers' Allowance will impact your income assistance benefits, contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

GET READY!
A new training and education policy helps Manitobans on income assistance find permanent work. Based on individual assessments, participants who have been unsuccessful in finding permanent jobs may be approved to go to school for up to two years (an increase from three months). Single parents and persons with disabilities may be eligible to attend education and training programs, including university and other post secondary programs. Others may be eligible to attend employment skills training.

For more information on how to participate in this program please contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

JOBCONNECTIONS
A JOBCONNECTIONS team of specialized staff are working with a number of single parents and non-disabled individuals and families across the province to help them address their barriers to employment and get them into jobs. Staff provide comprehensive assessments, determine needs, develop service plans, monitor and evaluate the services provided to participants. Services include supportive counseling, links to community resources, financial planning, and crisis management. Individualized plans focus on finding child care, gaining parenting skills, arranging transportation, finding housing and addressing health issues.

For more information on how you can participate in this program contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

MANITOBA WORKS
Through Employment Manitoba, the province will provide wage subsidies to employers across the province. Municipalities and non-profit employers can receive a full minimum wage subsidy for up to a year to hire and train people receiving income assistance. Other employers can receive up to 50 per cent of minimum wage to help cover the cost of providing on the job training. The goal of Manitoba Works is permanent work with the subsidized employer.

For more information on how you can participate as an employer please contact Manitoba Works at 945-8400 in Winnipeg and outside of Winnipeg at 1-866-332-5077.

REWARDING WORK ALLOWANCE
Prior to Rewarding Work, only EIA participants in the persons with disabilities category receive help for work related costs, such as bus passes. This assistance has been extended to other recipients as an incentive to help them make the transition to work. Those who are employed full-time receive $100 per month ($50 for part-time employees) to help cover expenses.

For more information about how you can participate in the program, contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH
Funding is being provided to Nor'West Co-op to deliver a mentorship program for youth in Winnipeg's Gilbert Park community. The project employs two social workers and two youth workers who liaise with the schools, provide youth and family therapy and introduce preventative and educational programs in the area.

Policies have also been developed to promote high school completion for youth at risk of long-term dependency on income assistance. Youth at risk receiving income assistance no longer have a time limit on completing their high school education, as long as they are making satisfactory progress.

IMPROVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

marketAbilities
A new component of the Rewarding Work strategy, marketAbilities initiatives will support persons with disabilities find and keep jobs.

marketAbilities FUND
New annual funding of up to $300,000 will support innovative employment partnerships to help persons with disabilities living in rural and northern regions to find and keep sustainable employment. The funding will help to close service gaps in rural areas and increase cooperation between potential employers and other community stakeholders. Partners may include private employers, government departments, regional health authorities (RHAs), employment service providers, high schools and post-secondary institutions, and municipal councils in rural Manitoba.

Employment projects may be proposed by Family Services and Housing regional staff in partnerships with other community partners or by community stakeholders. Proposals can cover a 24-month period, with maximum funding of up to $50,000 per year for individual rural/northern regions. Proposals will be evaluated on their potential for participants to obtain long-term sustainable employment and to become independent from Employment and Income Assistance. Funding is time-limited (maximum 24 months) and will not provide ongoing core funding.

The deadline for the second phase of project proposals is May 30, 2008, with projects starting no later than July 31, 2008.

For more information on the marketAbilities Fund download a printable pdf version of the marketAbilities Fund fact sheet here or contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

marketAbilities TEAM
Formerly called the Employability Support Unit, this team of specialized staff identify and help interested EIA participants with disabilities find jobs. Initially a pilot project, the team is now a permanent resource and has increased in size from three to five staff.

PERSONAL ATTENDANT COMMUNITY EDUCATION (PACE) PROGRAM

The Province of Manitoba is providing funding to the Independent Living Resource Centre (ILRC) in support of the ongoing delivery of the PACE program. PACE is a five-week training program that teaches individuals how to become fully functional and knowledgeable Independent Living Attendants. As a result of the funding increase, the number of PACE graduates will increase to up to 150 per year, doubling the current capacity of the program. Graduates obtain employment as attendants through the self-managed care program, Home Care, and/or with private care providers and play an important role in supporting the full inclusion of many persons with disabilities in employment and community life.

For more information on the PACE program, visit ILRC’s website at http://www.ilrc.mb.ca/programs/pace/index.html .

SARA RIEL INC. WORK PLACEMENT FORCE PROGRAM

Sara Riel Inc. has been offering their Work Placement Force Program since 1990 to adults living in Winnipeg and surrounding areas who have mental health concerns and a goal of competitive employment. The program provides pre-employment workshops, job search and placement services, work site and job retention supports, as well as counseling and referral. Through a partnership between Manitoba Competitiveness, Training and Trade and Manitoba Family Services and Housing these services will be enhanced and the capacity of the program will be more than doubled, bringing the total new participants served annually to 85.

For more information on the Work Placement Force Program, visit Sara Riel Inc.’s website at http://www.sararielinc.com/programs_WorkPlacementForce.html.

INCOME ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Income Assistance for Persons with Disabilities (IAPD) is an Employment and Income Assistance financial benefit that recognizes the additional costs faced by persons with disabilities who live in the community. In February 2008 the benefit increased by $25 to $105 per month.

For more information on how the IAPD increase may impact you, contact your local Employment and Income Assistance office.*

LIQUID ASSET EXEMPTIONS
Effective April 2007 liquid asset exemptions for EIA participants with a disability were doubled to assist them to better meet their daily living costs and improve their quality of life. This fulfilled a recommendation made in Full Citizenship: A Manitoba Provincial Strategy on Disability.

For more information on how increases to liquid asset exemptions may affect you, contact your local Employment and income Assistance Office.*

*To find the Employment and Income Assistance office closest to you, please contact Manitoba Government Inquiry at 1-866-MANITOBA (1-866-626-4862).

Year One (2007/08)

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