B.C. ombudsman to investigate delay in sending social assistance cheques amid post strike

Ombudsperson Jay Chalke speaks during a press conference in Victoria, Thursday, April 6, 2017. Whistleblower protections are being extended to more public-sector employees in British Columbia as part of an expansion of the Public Interest Disclosure Act. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Thousands of social assistance cheques have not been distributed in British Columbia because of the Canada Post strike, prompting an investigation by provincial ombudsperson Jay Chalke.

Chalke's office began investigating when he was told by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction that many income and disability assistance cheques weren't delivered.

Chalke says in a statement that he's concerned that many of B.C.'s most vulnerable people will be left without funds for food and shelter, especially during the upcoming holiday season.

He says that despite the ministry's efforts to encourage direct deposit, thousands of hard-copy cheques are mailed every month, and the ministry says 40 per cent of those payments weren't sent last month.

The potential for a Canada Post strike was widely reported before it happened, and Chalke says the ministry needed to have a plan for distributing the cheques without mail service.

Chalke says his investigation will assess the adequacy of that plan.

The statement says the investigation will also look into the ministry’s contingency planning before the strike was announced, as well as steps taken during the strike to distribute hard copy cheques to the 15 per cent of income and disability assistance recipients who don't get direct deposit.

“The next social assistance payment date is Dec. 18. The end of December is when many ministry employees intend to be on vacation, which could present operational challenges,” Chalke says.

"I am calling on the government to demonstrate it has a plan in place to achieve better and faster results for December’s cheques in the event the strike continues.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024.