The cost to Wellington County for providing discretionary benefits to low income families and individuals was down by over $25,000 in 2015.
An annual report on discretionary benefits was presented as part of the social services committee report at the March 26 county council meeting. The report provides an overview of the 100% municipally funded assistance the Ontario Works office delivered to individual clients throughout 2014. The benefits are delivered to qualifying low income individuals and families who are not eligible for provincial social assistance or, in exceptional circumstances, to provide benefits to social assistance recipients that are not eligible to be cost-shared with the province.
“These investments primarily support the immediate medical and emergency needs of low income individuals in our community and are a vital component of our local social assistance system,” states the report submitted by Ontario Works director Stewart Beumer.
In 2014, Wellington County and the City of Guelph spent a combined $344,516 on discretionary benefits, which includes assistance diabetic supplies, hearing aids, prescription medical, vision care, funerals and the county’s rural transportation program.
The report indicates the county spent $191,304 on such benefits, down $25,862 from 2013 when expenditures were $217,166.
The City of Guelph’s share was $153,212, an increase of $5,820 from 2013 when its expenditures were $147,391.
Not including the rural transportation program, which is accessed only by county residents, funerals (at 37 per cent of the total) represent the largest single expenditure through the program. Dental benefits account for 19% of the total, surgical supplies account for 13%, medical travel 3%, hearing aids 2%, vision 2%, and diabetic supplies and prosthesis account for 1% each. Other benefits account for 9%.
Councillor David Anderson, who chairs the social services committee, found it interesting there was a decrease in county spending in this area. “A lot of people are not aware of what we do support,” he noted.
