Some Islanders denied provincial supports for receiving federal benefits in 2021, say Greens

Some Islanders who successfully applied for Canadian Recovery Benefit and other pandemic-related aids last year are now being denied access to government services.

It is because their incomes were higher in 2021 than they would have been had they not received the benefits, meaning they failed to qualify for provincial programs for which they should technically have been eligible.

Green MLA Karla Bernard brought up the issue at the legislature on Friday.

She said MLAs have been hearing from people who've been denied help by the P.E.I. Department of Social Development and Housing because they got the financial aid.

"Obviously, they no longer have that income," she said.

"We have reached out to the department on a number of occasions for constituents and these one-offs are fixed, reassessed and granted eligibility. What about all the others who may have just given up and not reached out to their MLA?"

Bernard asked the province to make sure officials don't factor in that extra income when assessing people's eligibility for the programs.

Social Development and Housing Minister Brad Trivers said the issue was a "major concern" to him and that he's brought it up previously with the department.

"I was surprised, Mr. Speaker, to see the number of one-offs that were coming across my desk from MLAs," he said. "I've reached out to my directors and I've made sure that for all of our programs that are means tested, we are making sure that those monies do not impact them."

Trivers said he's also working with the federal government to ensure other programs such as the Guaranteed Income Supplement aren't affected by this issue.

The Canadian Recovery Benefit provided workers not eligible for EI and who were impacted by COVID-19 with some income support. The program ended Oct. 23.